• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.70-78
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• 2020

Nitrox diving was introduced by the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) to increase the oxygen content and lower the nitrogen content in respiratory gases. The commercial diving sector specializing in underwater operations has recently introduced regulations on the use of Nitrox. Because the respiratory gas for Nitrox diving has a lower nitrogen content than the normal air, the amount of nitrogen dissolved in the body is small, which not only significantly reduces the decompression time compared to air diving, but also reduces the chance of exposure to decompression sickness. In this study, we applied the VPM (Varying Permeability Model) algorithm to virtual diving with air and Nitrox as a respiratory gas, respectively, to study the optimal Nitrox diving for the safety at the underwater works. The results showed that Nitrox diving had a longer NDL (No-Decompression Limit), a much shorter depression time. In other words, Nitrox diving in underwater works is safer from decompression sickness than commonly used air diving.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.211-215
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• 1984

Forty one male workers employed in an underwater construction field were surveyed in the viewpoints of epidemiological analysis of decompression sickness (caisson's disease). Nineteen out of the entire forty one workers have been, or had been suffering from decompression sickness (as 46.3% of incidence rate) after decompression. The results obtained were as follows: 1. There was a significant relation between duration of work and incidence of disease. 2. Type II (severe type) comprised majority of cases (16 cases, 84.2%) despite any significant correlations were not present between severity types and recompression times. 3. Most frequently cited symptoms were lower limb pain (89.5%), upper limb pain (79.0%), pruritus (68.4%) and so on, however, 10% of patients complained of neurological symptoms. 4. There were not any significant correlations between disease incidence and worker's age or relative body weight.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.159-166
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to review the knowledge related to historic background, causes, symptoms, etiology and rehabilitation methods related to this disease and suggest some ways to reduce complications from it. The importance of underwater pressure disease was not emphasized, therefore, there is a need for continuous research on treatment methods and prevention for it. As one goes into the deeper water, they will be affected by the hydraulic pressure rather then the atmospheric pressure, and it will be increased 1mmHg by 10meters. Underwater pressure disease can be occurred when one comes out of deeper water too quicked. This results the imbalance of the composition rate of nitrogen in blood. However, there is not enough facilities to treat this disease and these facilities are located in limited areas. Therefore, there is an urgent need to set up a medial center that is specialized in prevention and treatment of underwater pressure disease.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Fisheries and Ocean Technology
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.136-145
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• 2015

A large number of divers that are engaged in a diving apparatus fishery (DAF) have been experienced a decompression sickness. This study has two purposes. One is measurement of the diving patterns and respiration rate. The other one is to research the institutional improvement plan of the DAF. In the experiments, the diving depth, the diving time, the total ascent time and the ascent rate were about 12.4 m, 22 min, 28 s and 28.1 m/min, respectively, in Tongyeong. In the case of Geoje the diving depth, the diving time, the total ascent time and the ascent rate were about 20 m, 64 min, 17 min and 1.3 m/min, respectively. In a questionnaire survey, the diving depth was 20~29 m (56.4%) in Tongyeong and Geoje, the diving time was 50~59 min (42.9%) in Tongyeong and 70~79 min (35%) in Geoje and all of the divers experienced decompression sickness. In the investigation related to a institutional issue, both of the diving apparatus fisheries had adopted the share system. And the laws and the system for the safety of the divers were not enough in Korea. This study suggests that the license and the diving time for diver of the DAF are needed and diver protection for decompression sickness is needed in the law. And the wage payments should change from full sharing to partial sharing included a regular pay to enhance the safety of the divers.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.21 no.7
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• pp.176-183
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• 2020

A ship has three types of diving systems (Diver Stage Diving, Wet Bell Diving and Scuba Diving) to carry out a search-and-rescue operation. To reduce the possibility of decompression sickness, any diving systems shall comply with the decompression procedure according to the decompression table corresponding to the diving depth and diving time. The decompression procedure is largely divided into two methods: underwater decompression and underwater-onboard decompression. In particular, the surface interval shall not exceed 5 minutes, which is the phase from underwater decompression to underwater-onboard decompression, in accordance with the U.S Navy Diving Manual. However, the surface interval is greater than 5 minutes as a result of using Wet Bell Diving. This paper describes the result of cause analysis and measurement with improved Wet Bell Diving. Using improved Wet Bell Diving reduced the surface interval to less than 5 minutes. The result of the research can be used for operation and improving the performance of diving systems.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.790-797
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• 2015

This study tried to evaluate the safety and economical benefit of Nitrox-diving by comparing with Air diving. We used actual diving data which was recorded in construction site of the Busan-Geoje fixed link immersed tunnel in 2010. The study method was to assort and analyze the diving data by divers, depth, breathing air, and diving table. Furthermore, the study examined the possibility of outbreak decompression sickness by comparing Nitrox diving and Air diving in no-decompression limit time, decompression time, working time. As a result, this study confirms that if certain diver breathe Nitrox for diving and oxygen for decompression, not only the risk of decompression sickness could be minimized, but also duration of decompression could be shortened. Moreover, it was estimated that a remarkable difference(more than 3 times) between actual duration of underwater construction period and virtual construction period by using air. As a result, the study confirmed that Nitrox diving is more efficient and economical than Air diving in physically limited and hazardous diving environment.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.21-35
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• 2010

There are many work-related injuries and diseases of fisheries in Korea. Fishermen have exposed to harmful environment, such as natural disasters, ultraviolet, noise, vibration, organic solvents, ergonomic risk factors, loss of fresh water and food, and psychologic stress. They have suffered from numerous work-related health problems, including musculoskeletal disorders, cardiovascular diseases, infectious diseases, pyschological diseases, decompression sickness, and so on. Sea accidents can cause deaths of fishermen and if sea pollution is occurred, fishermen have a great economic damage. However, the concern of these injuries and diseases has been little because they are small in number and have decreased. Fisheries are important core industries, so the problems of fisheries have to be solved by a government. But work-related injuries and diseases are not investigated properly and accurate diagnoses are not made due to loss of concern. We hope that this article will be a cornerstone to solving the work-related problems of fisheries.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.92-98
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• 2002

Emergency medicine(EM) is the specialty of evaluating, stabilizing and initiating treatment for patients with life or limb-threatening illnesses or injuries. Techniques unique to the specialty of EM are the triage systems, quick stabilization methods, and emergency surgery procedures. The field of EM encompasses areas such as emergency department management, disaster planning and management, the management of emergency medical service(EMS) systems, research into such areas as brain and heart resuscitation, trauma and disaster management, survival medicine, and environmental emergencies(cold and heat injuries, poisioning, decompression sickness and barotrauma). Today, in addition to providing emergency care, the emergency specialists have moral and legal obligations to assess and report probable cases of child and spouse abuse, sexual assault, and alcohol and drug abuse. Future, the EM should provide surveillance, identification, intervention, and evaluation of injury and disease, therefore EM will remain as a key component of evolving community health care system.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.447-452
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• 2001

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy(HBO) is defined as breathing 100% oxygen while in an enclosed system pressurized to greater than on atmosphere(sea level). This increased oxygen delivery furthers your body's ability to kill germs and to increase healing. HBO is a supplemental therapy to be used in addition to the current medical and surgical therapy you are receiving. HBO typically is used to complement treatments of medical problems such as bone infections, complication of radiotherapy, and certain chronic, non-healing wounds. On an emergency basis, the chamber also is used to treat problems such as carbon monoxide poisoning and the decompression sickness. We analysed stastically cases which are treated by hyperbaric oxygen therapy in point of oral and maxillofacial region on the Kangnam General Hospital for aid in comprehension and application of this therapy. Total 760 patients were treated at Gangnam General Hospital from July 1996 to September 1999. They were classified by region to Decompression sickness(DCS), Carbon monoxide poisoning(CO), General surgery(GS), Orthopedics(OS), Oral and Maxillofacial surgery(OMFS), others. Patients of Oral and Maxillofacial surgery were divided by diseses to Osteomyelitis, Osteoradionecrosis, Reconstruction, Bone graft, Difficult wounds, others. The results were as follows. 1. This institute conducts HBO therapy for DCS which takes up 62% and 10.5% for OMF region. 2. In OMF region, Osteomyelitis is 40%, Osteoradionecrosis is next, Bone graft, and Reconstruction is a row. 3. According to our precious study, HBO has been frequently conducted in OMF region compared to past, however, it is less actively conducted in this area for research than other conturies. Therefore, We need further application to the clinical use.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.31 no.1 s.60
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• pp.139-156
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• 1998

Diving related disease including decompression sickness is an important occupational health problem and diving fishermen remain a fairly hazardous occupation in Korea. To prevent diving related disease, we investigate diving patterns, incidence of diving related diseases, and contributing factors of 433 diving fishermen of three coast interviewing and mailing questionnaire in 1996. Mean age of divers was 39.7 years, ranged from 24 to 58 years, 92.8% of these were male, and 58.4% of divers were high school graduates. Mean duration of work as a diver was 12.9 years, ranged from 2 to 40 years. It was found that 70.4% of divers were using hookah system, 22.2% of helmet, and only 2.5% SCUBA. About half of them have learned diving skills from other divers. The peak season of diving was from April to June and mean working days were 20.3 days per month during the peak season. On the average, the divers dived 5-6 times, ranged from 1 to 10 times a day with 51.1 minutes of diving time, ranged from 20 to 120 minutes, at 30 m or 40 m in depth, and 35.5 minute of interval on surface. Most divers ascended slowly making decompression stop, yet the decompression profile used was not based on any scientific knowledge except for their own experiences. It appeared that each diving system had slightly different diving patterns. There were 282(65.0%) divers that suffered from DCS in 1995 and 31.2% of divers were given recompression therapy at a medical facility since they worked as diving fishermen. Skin and musculoskeletal complaints were common symptoms of DCS and 39% of divers experienced a voiding difficulty. In univariate analysis, females have an increased frequency of DCS(93% vs 66% for males). Old age, long duration of work, helmet diving, diving time, diving depth, repetitive diving, and blow up were all contributing factors to DCS. It was found that most diving patterns exceed no decompression limit and did not use the standard decompression table. This suggests that most of divers are at high risk of developing diving related disease with prolonged dives and lengthy repetitive diving in deep depth. Considering the diving patterns and economic aspect of professional diving, the incidence of DCS among diving fishermen in Korea will not decrease in the near future. These findings suggest that periodical health surveillance for divers, and education of health and safety are important for reducing the risk of diving related disease in the population of diving fishermen.