Hazards in hyperbaric medicine.

During the period April 1965 to April 1968 observations were made on 285 patients and 357 staff exposed to air and oxygen at pressures of 1 to 3 atmospheres absolute in a hyperbaric unit. Decompression sickness was not noted and an annual radiological skeletal survey failed to show aseptic bone necrosis; the incidence of otitic barotrauma was 4.7%. Oxygen toxicity was not observed in any patient. It is suggested that pressures in this range are relatively safe in a specialized medical hyperbaric environment.