Use of Emergency Evacuation Hyperbaric Stretcher (EEHS) in Submarine Escape and Rescue

摘要

The U.S. Navy identified a need for portable and collapsible one-man hyperbaric chambers, called Emergency Evacuation Hyperbaric Stretchers (EEHS), which could be used as a means of transporting submarine rescuees suffering from Decompression Sickness (DCS) or Arterial Gas Embolism (AGE) to a recompression chamber for treatment. This report discusses the possible uses of such a system in the U.S. Navy Submarine Rescue Mission. Medical indications and contraindications for use of the system are reviewed. Characteristics of the currently favored system are described. Triage algorithms and treatment guidelines are presented for submarine escape, submarine rescue, and evacuation using the EEHS.