Dysbaric osteonecrosis screening in Turkish Navy divers.
BACKGROUND
Dysbaric osteonecrosis (DON) is regarded as an occupational disease for caisson workers, commercial, and military divers. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was suggested for the surveillance of military divers for DON. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of DON in Turkish Navy divers.


METHODS
The shoulder, hip, and knee joints of 106 male divers were screened for DON with MRI. A questionnaire was used to obtain information about subjects' medical history and diving experience.


RESULTS
The mean age of divers was 34.3 +/- 5.8 yr. The divers had spent an average of 12.1 +/- 6.1 yr at their occupation. The average of total hours of diving was 834 +/- 458 h. The maximum diving depth was 53.0 +/- 18.4 m (175 +/- 61 ft) and the average diving depth was 13.3 +/- 8.4 m (44 +/- 28 ft). MRI examinations of divers did not reveal bone lesions consistent with osteonecrosis.


CONCLUSIONS
We concluded that the risk of DON is very low for military divers who strictly obey the decompression rules and who undergo periodic medical examination. The use of MRI for routine screening of military divers is not justified.
Uzun
Gunalp
G
Department of Underwater and Hyperbaric Medicine, Gulhane Military Medical Academy Haydarpasa Teaching Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. gunalpuzun@yahoo.com
Toklu
Akin Savas
AS
Yildiz
Senol
S
Sonmez
Guner
G
Aktaş
Samil
S
Sezer
Hakan
H
Mutlu
Hakan
H
Cimşit
Maide
M
D000328:Adult; D004242:Diving / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D010020:Osteonecrosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D015995:Prevalence; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology