Oxygen window in diving decompression

As Oxygen Window (German literally, oxygen window '), partial pressure vacancy (PPV ) or inherent unsaturation is known in the diving physiology of the partial pressure of oxygen between arterial and central vessels or body tissues. This difference increases to a certain maximum - which depends on the oxygen consumption of the tissue - by increasing the oxygen supply and pressure. This clearly means, that in all body tissues - is always contained less oxygen physically dissolved and, as in the atmospheric air even as the tissue consume the oxygen on the cell respiration - with the exception of the arteries. However, because the total pressure of a gas is (oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide ) is composed of the partial pressures of the gases contained in body tissues and the nitrogen partial pressure is lower than in the pulmonary alveoli. At the same time, the solubility of gases in liquids, such as tissue fluid and the blood is increased by the Henry's law by a pressure increase. This situation causes particular Techdiver to 6 meters of water to perform with 100 percent oxygen, the final stage of decompression, because with it the release of nitrogen and carbon dioxide accelerates from the body tissue.

Thus, the Oxygen Window and Henry's law are the basis for oxygen therapy as hyperbaric oxygenation in decompression sickness.

At standard pressure, the Oxygen Window about 72 mbar (54 mmHg / Torr); the gas pressure in the body tissues and veins is 941 mbar (706 mm Hg / mm Hg ).

History

The term Oxygen Window was coined in 1967 by Albert R. Behnke, while a group led by Van Liew, although as early as 1965 studies on this subject conducted, but described the difference with partial pressure vacancy ( PPV). The clinical significance of the Oxygen Windows was later proved by Sass.