Study on Animal Models of Decompression Sickness / 航天医学与医学工程

ABSTRACT

Objective To study the profiles of decompression sickness(DCS) in various kinds of animals and to find out the target organ of decompression sickness by providing a basic experimental method for establishing animal models.Method Eleven kinds of animals were exposed to different pressures for different times at different compression/decompression rates.They were monitored at the precordial regions with Doppler flow meter for bubble sounds after decompression to normal pressure,to obtain a record about the developing course of the DCS.Pathological examinations of the bulbar conjunctiva were also made. Result Bubble sound of grade IV were recorded at the precordial regions after decompression.Among them,75%~100% incurred DCS with a diverse extent. Animals developed DCS showed vascular spasm,dysfunction and endothelial tumefaction.Conclusion Each of the 11 kinds of animals can serve as a model of DCS and the processes of development of DCS in various animals are similar.Blood vessels are the target organs of decompression sickness.