Editing Decompression illness (section)

== Prognosis ==

The prognosis of the DCS is generally favorable for patients with mild symptoms, given timely and appropriate treatment, and in excellent health before the dive. Symptoms may resolve within days after prompt administration of high-flow oxygen and rest.<ref name="Cooper" /> 

The outcome for cerebral arterial gas embolism largely depends on severity and the delay before recompression. Most cases which are recompressed within two hours do well. Recompression within six hours often produces improvement and sometimes full resolution. Delays to recompression of more than 6 to 8 hours are not often very effective, and are generally associated with delays in diagnosis and delays in transfer to a hyperbaric chamber.<ref name="Walker and Murphy-Lavoie 2019" />

Xu et al. reported a 99.3% effectiveness rate of treating decompression illness with immediate recompression in a study of 5,278 cases across 2000-2010 in China. The initial symptom occurred within 6 hours after surfacing in 98.9% of cases.<ref name="Xu et al" />

Long term complications can arise as end organ damage from air embolisms. In bones, [[dysbaric osteonecrosis]] leads to [[Pathologic fracture|pathological fractures]] and chronic [[Osteoarthritis|arthritis]], particularly in the proximal [[femur]], [[humerus]], and [[tibia]]. In the brain and spinal cord, depending on the area and severity of damage there can be neurological deficits ranging from becoming [[Coma|comatose]], having sensorimotor weakness, incontinence, and other effects. The lungs can develop [[pulmonary fibrosis]]. The pancreas, kidneys, and liver are also vulnerable, and reginal necrosis in the [[gastrointestinal tract]] can cause strictures leading to [[Bowel obstruction|obstruction]].<ref name="Cooper" />