Decompression sickness is commonly divided into two types on the basis of the severity of clinical signs. The manifestations of type II decompression sickness are more serious and those involving the coentral nervous system. Patients with spinal
cord
injury in Type II decompression sickness were assigned a neurological level of injury, severity of injury, and level of ambulation. Among the 46 cases of Type II decompression sickness, spinal cord involvements were present in 69.6%(n=32;27
males,
5
females; mean age=33.5 years). Fourteen943.8%) subjects had neurological level of injury to the injury to lower thoracic cord, 7(21.9%) cervical cord, 5 midthoracic cord, 3 upper thoracic cord, and 3 subjects were injury level to the lumbar cord.
The
degree of incompleteness as reflected in the Frankel grades of incompleteness showed that 15(46.9%) subjects were Frankel D, 8 Frankel C, 8 Frankel E, 1 Frankel B, and none was Frankel A. We paid particular attention to ambulation level.
Functional
community walker was recorded in 24(75.0%) subjects, functional household walker in 6(18.8%) and 2(6.3%) subjects remained nonfunctional walker.
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