The International Hyperbaric Medical Facility (IHMF) has successfully treated its first patient for Type II Decompression Sickness (DCS), marking an important milestone for the facility and for access to emergency hyperbaric medical care in Trinidad & Tobago.
IHMF opened its doors earlier this year, as the country’s first facility of its kind, to offer advanced hard-shell Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) alongside integrated diabetic and chronic non-healing wound care and advanced brain health services.
Time-sensitive Medical Treatment
On Friday, August 28, 2026, the patient, a professional diver, presented to IHMF, following a diving-related incident in Tobago. IHMF was notified of the case and was placed on emergency standby to facilitate the patient’s assessment and treatment. Upon arrival the patient was assessed by an IHMF Certified Hyperbaric Physician and the facility’s General Manager/DMT. Following a comprehensive clinical assessment, including a targeted neurological screening and pre-dive chest-imaging, the patient was diagnosed with Type II Decompression Sickness.
This a medical emergency that requires time-sensitive medical evaluation and recompression treatment following established Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS) protocols – U.S. Navy Treatment Table 6. The A&E at the closest public hospital, San Fernando General Hospital was alerted, should the patient require Intensive Care monitoring post HBOT treatment and all risks associated with HBOT were carefully mitigated by the team at IHMF.
Commonly called “The Bends”
Decompression sickness, also casually referred to as “The Bends” can occur when a diver ascends from a pressurized environment too quickly, causing dissolved inert gases, primarily nitrogen, to come out of solution and form bubbles within the bloodstream and body tissues. Depending on where these bubbles form, symptoms can range from joint pain and skin manifestations to more serious neurological or cardiopulmonary complications.
Hard-shell Hyperbaric Chamber
Within the first hour of commencing Day 1 treatment, the patient reported that his concerning symptoms (numbness in his hands, chest tightness) eased. Following two (2) consecutive days, approximately ten (10) hours of treatment at IHMF’s hard-shell hyperbaric chamber, the patient was cleared for discharge. The patient and caregiver were strictly advised on the post-treatment guidelines, including temporary prohibitions on air travel, high-altitude exposure, and compressed-gas diving pending final medical clearance. The hard-shell chamber allows the patient to be safely recompressed while receiving high concentrations of oxygen under controlled medical supervision.
Recompression reduces the size of nitrogen bubbles and assists the body in eliminating the dissolved gas, while the high concentration of oxygen supports oxygen delivery to affected tissues. Left untreated, Decompression Sickness causes trapped nitrogen bubbles to block critical blood flow, leading to severe, often permanent complications such as spinal cord or brain damage (resulting in paralysis, numbness, or loss of bodily control), chronic joint and balance disorders, and irreversible bone tissue decay, that eventually collapses the joints. In severe cases affecting the lungs, untreated gas bubbles can cause sudden, fatal heart and respiratory failure. Timely hyperbaric oxygen treatment is essential and gives the body the best opportunity to recover fully.
A Milestone for Hyperbaric Care in Trinidad & Tobago
This successful treatment represents IHMF’s first case of decompression sickness and its first emergency hyperbaric case of this nature since the facility opened in January 2026.
For the diving community, this milestone reinforces the importance of having specialized hyperbaric medical services available locally, rapid diagnostic protocols, and strict adherence to international hyperbaric safety standards in resolving dive-related medical emergencies for professional and commercial diving operations working in Trinidad and Tobago’s waters and surrounding areas.
About the International Hyperbaric Medical Facility (IHMF)
The International Hyperbaric Medical Facility located in Marabella, Trinidad is a premier clinical care center specializing in hyperbaric medicine. While emergency treatment for decompression sickness is an important capability, hyperbaric medicine extends well beyond diving emergencies. HBOT is used as part of the management of several medical conditions, including but not limited to diabetic foot ulcers, chronic and non-healing wounds, severe burns and soft tissue injuries, radiation injuries, and post-surgical recovery – all of which the facility has administered successfully to date.
[The patient’s identity will remain confidential at his request.]