Decompression Explosive

Title: Explosive Decompression: Danger to People and Equipment

Explosive decompression is a phenomenon in which a rapid decrease in pressure occurs in a closed space, such as an aircraft cabin, a space suit, etc. This can happen if the seal of such a space is breached. As a result of such decompression, a sharp expansion of gases in the body occurs, which can lead to serious consequences for human health.

One of the main dangers of explosive decompression is acute hypoxia - a decrease in oxygen content in the blood. This can lead to serious disruptions in the functioning of organs and tissues, since oxygen is necessary for their normal functioning. Moreover, the expansion of gases in the body can cause destructive changes in tissues and organs, which can lead to injury and even death.

Explosive decompression is a particularly dangerous phenomenon for people working in the space industry or aviation. In these areas, explosive decompression can occur suddenly and without warning, making it especially dangerous. For this reason, many aircraft and spacesuits have systems that prevent explosive decompression and ensure safety for the crew.

In general, explosive decompression is a serious threat to people and equipment. Its occurrence can lead to serious consequences for human health and even death. Therefore, every precaution must be taken to prevent the occurrence of explosive decompression and to ensure the safety of all who work in environments where such decompression may occur.

**Decompression sickness** (decompression syndrome, decompression disorder) (hereinafter referred to as DD) can develop both with a rapid and slow decrease in pressure around the human body. It is characterized mainly by psychoneurological disorders, while changes in the cardiovascular system are rarely detected. With a long duration of symptoms, morphological changes in soft tissues are often detected, which allows decompression sickness to be included in the category of unique forms of postaccliminal (exogenous) osteodystrophy.

It occurs due to the accumulation of gases under high pressure in human organs and tissues. Gas and other substances can begin to enter the blood when the ambient pressure increases above the internal pressure of the body. The air cavity begins to expand, and gases accumulate in the blood, lungs and other organs. These gases include nitrogen, oxygen and carbon dioxide. With a sharp decrease in external pressure, cavities and organs swell, taking up more and more space in the body. They put pressure on organs, surrounding tissues and blood vessels.

The lungs, peripheral nervous system (spinal cord, cranial nerves, subcutaneous tissue), brain and optic nerve are most often affected; in more rare cases, damage to the blood vessels, heart and hematopoietic organs occurs. Liver damage is also rare. Pulmonary symptoms occur in 40–65% of patients. They are manifested by chest pain, shortness of breath, fever, cough, and impaired respiratory function. Neurological symptoms are present in every second patient and manifest as impaired movement and sensitivity in the arms and legs to paralysis in the shoulder and hip joints or impaired urination and vision. In the clinical picture, the leading role is played by severe pain. Depending on the presence of concomitant disorders, the following are distinguished:

* With a mild course – delayed development of neurological syndromes; maintaining ability to work * Moderate course - the occurrence of serious neurological disorders with disability in some patients * Severe complicated course - stroke and deterioration in some cases, even death.