ABSTRACT
Somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs) were recorded on posterior tibial nerve stimulation during compression in 21 episodes of acute neurological decompression illness (DCI) involving 20 patients. A further two cases were monitored immediately after treatment only. The results were compared with previously published normal data from this laboratory and with recordings obtained during the compression of four normal volunteers. Compression had no effect on SSEPs in normal subjects: SSEP latency abnormalities were found in 17 of the episodes of DCI. An SSEP improvement at final recording was noted in 7 of the 11 episodes which were monitored during treatment and classified initially as neurophysiologically abnormal. SSEPs may assist in the diagnosis of DCI.
Subject(s)
Decompression Sickness/physiopathology , Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory/physiology , Tibial Nerve/physiology , Adult , Analysis of Variance , Case-Control Studies , Decompression Sickness/therapy , Diving , Electric Stimulation , Female , Humans , Male , Monitoring, Physiologic , Reaction Time/physiologyABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether divers with histories of neurological decompression illness are electroencephalographically distinguishable from non-divers. METHODS: The electroencephalograms (EEGs) from 68 divers with histories of neurological decompression illness and 45 non-diver controls were examined independently by two clinical neurophysiologists. RESULTS: The diver and non-diver groups were electroencephalographically indistinguishable. CONCLUSION: There is no electroencephalographic evidence for the existence of cerebral dysfunction in divers with histories of decompression illness.
Subject(s)
Brain Diseases/etiology , Decompression Sickness/physiopathology , Diving/adverse effects , Electroencephalography , Adult , Brain Diseases/diagnosis , Decompression Sickness/etiology , Humans , Middle AgedABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To examine the possibility that subclinical damage may persist after clinical recovery from neurological decompression illness. METHODS: The neuraxes of 71 divers with medical histories of neurological decompression illness and 37 non-diver controls were examined by recording the somatosensory evoked potentials produced on stimulation of the posterior tibial and median nerves. RESULTS: Although the tests gave some objective support for the presence of "soft" residual neurological symptoms and signs, no evidence was given for the presence of subclinical damage. CONCLUSIONS: The contention that neurological damage persists after full clinical recovery from the neurological decompression illness was not supported.
Subject(s)
Decompression Sickness/complications , Diving/adverse effects , Adult , Decompression Sickness/physiopathology , Diving/physiology , Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory , Female , Humans , Male , Median Nerve/physiology , Middle Aged , Neurologic Examination , Peripheral Nervous System Diseases/etiology , Peripheral Nervous System Diseases/physiopathology , Reaction Time , Tibial Nerve/physiology , Time FactorsABSTRACT
Somatosensory evoked potentials recorded over the scalp in response to posterior tibial nerve stimulation may provide a useful means of assessing the integrity of the neuraxis during the treatment of neurological decompression illness (DCI). The neurophysiological assessment of a case of DCI is described.
