Three fishermen suffered decompression while diving deep in Truong Sa waters

On the morning of September 27, three fishermen were diving in the sea 5 nautical miles from Sinh Ton Dong island (Truong Sa island district). When they came to the surface, they experienced fatigue, dizziness, and pain in their ears, chest, abdomen, and legs. The crew on the ship took care of them but their condition did not improve.

They were taken to the Sinh Ton Dong island infirmary, Brigade 146, Naval Region 4, for emergency treatment nearly three hours later.

At this time, the patients can make contact, their lungs murmur, the alveoli are smooth, and their limbs can move; respiratory rate 20 times per minute; pain in ears, chest, abdomen, legs, dizziness. The doctor diagnosed them with decompression due to deep diving.

Doctors gave the patient oxygen, intravenous fluids, and medication according to the regimen. After an hour of emergency treatment, most patients are still tired and have pain in some parts of their body.

Currently, patients’ health is closely monitored. The hospital’s doctors asked for professional advice from higher-level military medical staff for further treatment.

Science has shown that the deeper and longer one dives, the greater the water pressure affects humans. Oxygen gas is completely consumed during the body’s circulation, and the remaining nitrogen gas easily dissolves in blood, tissues, and fats. When the diver emerges quickly, the water pressure decreases, the nitrogen in the blood expands rapidly, creating air bubbles that block blood vessels or press on organs in the body, causing “decompression sickness”.