FLYING AFTER DIVING AND DECOMPRESSION-SICKNESS

Reports of 1,159 decompression sickness (DCS) incidents during recreat ional diving were analyzed by logistic regression for the effects of f lying on the occurrence of Type II DCS, complete relief of symptoms af ter one recompression, and residual symptoms 3 months after treatment. The relevant diver populations were those who: 1) did not fly; 2) had symptoms before flying but flew anyhow; 3) and did not have symptoms before flying but devoloped symptoms during or after flight. Of the to tal DCS population, 13.9% had preflight symptoms while 5.6% developed symptoms during or after flight. Symptoms which occurred during or aft er flight were no more serious and their responses to recompression no less successful than symptoms in nonflying divers. There was a statis tically significant association between divers who flew with pre-exist ing symptoms and Type II DCS, incomplete relief with one recompression , and residual symptoms after 3 months.