Demir Abdurrahman E, Ilbasmis Savas, Toklu Akin S
University of Health Sciences, Turkey, Department of Aerospace Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
Corresponding author: Abdurrahman E Demir, University of Health Sciences, Department of Aerospace Medicine, General Dr.Tevfik Sağlam Cd, Post Code: 06010, Etlik, Ankara, Turkey. ORCID: 0000-0003-0949-1734,
Diving Hyperb Med. 2022 Mar 31;52(1):58-62. doi: 10.28920/dhm52.1.58-62.
SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) was declared a global pandemic on 11 March 2020 and has become a serious threat to public health. As it can easily be transmitted through droplets and aerosols, there is an increased risk of transmission in enclosed environments such as hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT) units if preventive measures are not taken.
A 16-year-old female tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 during HBOT for idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss. The other patients and the inside attendant who attended the sessions with her were regarded as contacts, tested for SARS-CoV-2, and quarantined until the test results were available. Ultimately, none of them tested positive.
As HBOT in multiplace chambers entails a high risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission, we strictly adapted our practice to consider that every patient could be a potential asymptomatic carrier. Therefore, the negative results of all contacts in this case and the fact that no confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported suggests that these measures successfully prevented SARS-CoV-2 transmission in our HBOT clinic. SARS-CoV-2 transmission can be prevented if sufficient protective measures are taken.
2020年3月11日，严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒2（SARS-CoV-2，即新冠病毒）被宣布为全球大流行病，已对公众健康构成严重威胁。由于它很容易通过飞沫和气溶胶传播，如果不采取预防措施，在高压氧治疗（HBOT）单元等封闭环境中传播风险会增加。
一名16岁女性因特发性突发性感音神经性听力损失在接受高压氧治疗期间新冠病毒检测呈阳性。与她一同接受治疗的其他患者及室内护理人员被视为密切接触者，接受了新冠病毒检测，并被隔离直至检测结果出来。最终，他们中无人检测呈阳性。
由于多人舱高压氧治疗存在较高的新冠病毒传播风险，我们严格调整了操作流程，认为每一位患者都可能是潜在的无症状携带者。因此，该病例中所有密切接触者检测结果均为阴性，且未报告新冠肺炎确诊病例，这表明这些措施成功防止了新冠病毒在我们的高压氧治疗诊所传播。如果采取足够的防护措施，新冠病毒传播是可以预防的。
