Analysis of gas composition of intravascular bubbles produced by decompression.

The gas composition of intravascular bubbles produced by decompression was investigated in rabbits using gas chromatography. The animals were exposed to 8 ATA for 30 min. All samples of bubbles were taken from the animals under 0.2 ATA pressure gradient so that no air could enter the sampling system from the outside. The percentage of carbon dioxide in the bubbles tended to decrease at first and then increased with post-decompression time. On the other hand, the percentage of oxygen tended to change in the opposite manner. Actual analysis of bubbles in the living decompressed animals indicates that carbon dioxide may be an outstanding factor in the initiation and early growth of bubbles. In view of this, Haldane's classical maximum supersaturation limit for avoiding decompression sickness should be examined and possibly modified for gases other than nitrogen.