348 cases of postoperative intestinal obstruction have been treated with HBO using monoplace chamber under 1.7 to 2.0 ATA for 70 to 90 minutes, and 254 cases （73.0%） showed fine result.
As for 300 cases of postoperative ileus due to intestinal adhesion, HBO was effective in 254 cases （84.7%）.
Recurrent intestinal obstruction was recognized after HBO in 22.4%, but was improved again by repetitive administration of HBO in many cases.

View full abstract

The changes in heart rate, oxygen uptake and ventilatory minute volume were measured at 1ATA and 31ATA using hyperbalic chambers in JAMSTEC. The work load was given by bicycle ergometer at 50, 75 and 100 Watt for 7minutes each. Underwater respiratory gas was He-O₂ （PO₂＝0.51ATA） and environment gas under 31ATA was He-O₂ （PO₂＝0.4ATA）. The environmental temperature was 26℃ at 1ATA and 31℃ at 31ATA, and water temperature was 26℃.
Heart rate, oxygen uptake and ventilatory minute volume at 31ATA at underwater resting condition were increased compared to these at resting condition in chamber. Underwater bradycardia, seen at 1ATA, was not observed at 31ATA. This masking was thought to be made by the cold stress felt strong by the diver at 31ATA. Heart rate, oxygen uptake and ventilatory minute volume were increased under work load both at 1ATA and 31ATA, but the rate of increasing was smaller at 31ATA. This was thought to be caused by the increased respiratory resistance and consequently the decreased working ability under 31ATA.

View full abstract

The effect of OHP upon liver injury by CCl₄ was investigated. CCl₄ （0.25mg/100g, i.p.） caused severe liver injury or death in rats without OHP and the survival rate was 73.3% at 72 hours later. Histological finding showed diffuse necrosis and fatty degeneration of liver cells. Blood examination at 24 hours showed highest GOT, GPT and total bilirubin values. Then, they all returned within normal limits at 72 hours later. DNA contest of liver tissue increased graduaiiy until 72 hours.
On the other hand, in OHP treated rats （3 ATA, 2 hours）, there was no death at 72 hours. OHP decreased CCl₄ toxicity on liver cells histologically. Regeneration process could already be seen at 72 hours later. Transaminases were also significantly lower than control. From these results, OHP decreased CCl₄ toxicity on liver cells by reducing P-450 activity. This suggests that OHP may be effective for liver insufficiency.

View full abstract

Dive profiles and the appearance of venous gas emboli （VGE）were investigated in sport divers to evaluate the risk of decompression sickness. Dive profiles were recorded with dive memory recorder which was carried by divers during his/ her dives. After the final dive of each day, dive profiles were transferred to a personal computer on shore through interface system and stored permanently on floppy disc or magnetic tape. The stored data were then analyzed to reproduce dive profiles.
Specific decompression schedules were designed from the maximum diving depth and bottom time according to US Navy decompression tables and were compared with actual decompression profiles. Furthermore, divers' VGE were minitored precordially after surfacing.
Fifty four daily dive profiles were obtained from forty three divers. Maximum dive depth of individual dive ranged from 5 to 38 meters and the bottom time was 20 to 71 minutes. If USN tables were used, thirty two out of fifty four dives should have undergone decompression stops. VGE appeared in eight out of twenty divers. However, no decompression sickness was found.

View full abstract

Hyperbaric oxygen （HBO） induces neurogenic disorder in rats and cervical sympathetic nerves regulate vascular system of brain. To clarify the effect of HBO and cervical sympathectomy upon rat brain, thirty six rats were treated with ninety minutes HBO for four to eight consecutive days. All the rats were then divided into four groups; group A （eight rats） received 2.5ATA of HBO without sympathectomy, group B （eight rats） was given 2.5ATA of HBO with sympathetomy, group C（ten rats） received 3.5ATA of HBO without sympathetomy and group D（ten rats） were given 3.5ATA of HBO with sympathectomy. Degrees of neurogenic disorders were evaluated through atxia, rigidity of extremities and convulsion. Following treatment, Evans blue was injected intravenously to examine blood-brain barrier.
Sixteen rats of group A and B showed no neurogenic disorders. Three out of ten from group C showed ataxia and/or rigidity, but no convulsion. All the rats of group D showed ataxia, rigidity and/or convulsion. No rat showed any color change of brain by Evans blue.
Cervical sympathectomy enhanced the toxic effect of HBO to induce neurogenic disorders in rats, but the permeability of blood-brain barrier seemed not to be increased.

View full abstract

Since January 1982 to June 1986, nineteen unconscious patients due to hypoxic accidents were treated. Treatments methods consist of two main designs; administration of Sendai cocktail and hyperbaric oxygen therapy （OHP）. Sendai cocktail （20% Mannitol 300ml＋Dexamethasone 32mg＋Vitamin E 200mg） has been proved to decrease brain edema and act as free radical scavenger. The indicationability of OHP for such state has been well established.
The clinical results showed that; eight cases didn't respond to the treatment who had five minutes or more longer cardiac arrest period, ten cases recovered completely and one case recovered with slight mental retardation. This treatment method is considered as feasible for such patients except for those with cardiac arrest more than five minutes.

View full abstract