Recompression - Differences between wet and dry pressure on the body

[graywhale]

When a patient is recompressed in a Hyperbaric Oxygen chamber, to be given HBOT treatment, the high pressure is done in a gas environment, that is in the dry. My question is, does the body react the same, if the recompression is done in water, breathing 100% O2 through a full face mask?

I thought I read some where that wet and dry pressures have different effects on the body, even if the PPO values are equal, but I'm not quite sure. Many thanks for any clarification.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Just a thought but wouldn't it be much the same as asking if a diver in a dry suit and helmet experiences pressure differently than a diver in a wet suit?

In that respect the answer should be basically - no, although there are other potential differences.

There might be more potential for the diver to get cold in the water with physiological differences in the response to pressure related to the cold.

The level of exertion may also be higher in the water than for a patient flat on his/her back in a chamber.

 

[vladimir]

Cold water on the face would trigger the mammalian diving reflex, which, I suppose, might conceivably impact your recompression, but with a full-face mask it wouldn't be a factor anyway.

 

[Dr Deco]

As far as breathing gasses are concerned, wet and dry have the same partill pressures.