Caisson Disease
Synonyms
Decompression sickness; Diver’s disease
Definition
Caisson disease is a medical condition related to sudden
exposure to a reduction in the pressure surrounding
the body. It can happen in many situations: in divers
ascending from a dive, in workers coming out of a pressurized
caisson or mine, or in pilots if the cabin pressurization
system of an aircraft fails. This causes inert
gases (mainly nitrogen), which are normally dissolved
in body fluids and tissues, to come out of physical
solution and form gas bubbles in blood and tissues.
Symptoms include “the bends” (joint pain) in shoulders
and knees, headache, visual disturbances, extreme
fatigue, lack of strength, breathing difficulties (“the
chokes”), and in some cases cardiovascular collapse,
unconsciousness and paralysis. The only effective treatment
is recompression, carried out in a recompression
chamber, where the pressure is gradually decreased.

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