• Age, weight and decompression sickness in ratsPeer reviewedClosed access 

      16 mars 2016, Buzzacott, Peter; Theron, Michaël; Mazur, Aleksandra; Wang, Qiong; LAMBRECHTS, Kate; Eftedal, Ingrid; Berenji, Simin, HE Bruxelles Brabant
      Article scientifique
      Objective: The aim of this study was to determine if, after controlling for weight, age is associated with decompression sickness (DCS) in rats. Methods: Following compression-decompression, male rats aged 11 weeks were observed for DCS. After two weeks recovery, surviving rats were re-dived using the same compression-decompression profile. Results: In this experiment, there was a clear difference ...
    • Architectural and Mechanical Changes after Five Weeks of Intermittent Static Stretch Training on the Medial Gastrocnemius Muscle of Active AdultsPeer reviewedOpen access 

      27 mars 2023, Levenez, Morgan; Moeremans, Mathieu; Boorghs, Cédric; Vigouroux, Florent; Leveque, Clément; HEMELRYCK, Walter; BALESTRA, Costantinoorcid-id, HE Bruxelles Brabant
      Article scientifique
      We investigated the effects of intermittent long-term stretch training (5 weeks) on the architectural and mechanical properties of the muscle-tendon unit (MTU) in healthy humans. MTU's viscoelastic and architectural properties in the human medial gastrocnemius (MG) muscle and the contribution of muscle and tendon structures to the MTU lengthening were analyzed. Ten healthy volunteers participated ...
    • Beneficial effect of enriched air nitrox on bubble formation during scuba diving. An open-water studyPeer reviewedOpen access 

      12 avril 2017, Brebek, Anne-Kathrin; Deussen, Andreas; Schmitz-Peiffer, Henning; Range, Ursula; BALESTRA, Costantinoorcid-id; Cleveland, Sinclair; Schipke, Jochen, HE Bruxelles Brabant
      Article scientifique
      Backround: Nitrogen narcosis impairs cognitive function, a fact relevant during SCUBA-diving. Oxygen-enriched air (nitrox) became popular in recreational diving, while evidence of its advantages over air is limited. AIM: Compare effects of nitrox28 and air on two psychometric tests. METHODS: In this prospective, double-blind, open-water study, 108 advanced divers (38 females) were randomized to an ...
    • Clustering of recreational divers by their health conditions in a database of a citizen science projectPeer reviewedClosed access 

      05 mai 2019, Ozyigit, Tamer; Yauz, Cüneyt; Egi, Salih Murat; Pieri, Massimo; BALESTRA, Costantinoorcid-id; Marroni, Alessandro, HE Bruxelles Brabant
      Article scientifique
      Divers Alert Network Europe has created a database with a large amount of dive-related data that has been collected since 1993 within the scope of the Diving Safety Laboratory citizen science project. The main objectives of this study are the grouping divers by their health information and revealing significant differences in diving parameters using data mining techniques. Due to the methodology of ...
    • Colonic Fermentation Promotes Decompression sickness in RatsPeer reviewedOpen access 

      08 février 2016, Demaistre, Sébastien; Vallée, Nicolas; Gempp, Emmanuel; LAMBRECHTS, Kate; Louge, Pierre; Duchamp, Claude; Blatteau, Jean-Eric, HE Bruxelles Brabant
      Article scientifique
      Massive bubble formation after diving can lead to decompression sickness (DCS). During dives with hydrogen as a diluent for oxygen, decreasing the body's H2 burden by inoculating hydrogen-metabolizing microbes into the gut reduces the risk of DCS. So we set out to investigate if colonic fermentation leading to endogenous hydrogen production promotes DCS in fasting rats. Four hours before an experimental ...
    • Commercial Divers' Subjective Evaluation of SaturationPeer reviewedOpen access 

      30 janvier 2019, Imbert, Jean Pierre; BALESTRA, Costantinoorcid-id; Kiboub, Fatima Zohra; Loennechen, Øyvind; Eftedal, Ingrid, HE Bruxelles Brabant
      Article scientifique
      Commercial saturation diving involves divers living and working in an enclosed atmosphere with elevated partial pressure of oxygen (ppO2) for weeks. The divers must acclimatize to these conditions during compression, and for up to 28 days until decompression is completed. During decompression, the ppO2 and ambient pressure are gradually decreased; then the divers must acclimatize again to breathing ...
    • Comparison of insulation provided by dry or wetsuits among recreational divers during cold water immersion (< 5 degrees C)Peer reviewedOpen access 

      05 octobre 2021, Lafère, Pierre; Guerrero, François; GERMONPRÉ, Peter; BALESTRA, Costantinoorcid-id, HE Bruxelles Brabant
      Article scientifique
      BACKGROUND: Divers thermal status influences susceptibility to decompression sickness hence the need for proper insulation during immersion in cold water. However, there is a lack of data on thermal protection provided by diving suits, hence this study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two different groups of divers wearing either a wetsuit (n = 15) or a dry suit (n = 15) volunteered for this study. Anthropometric ...
    • Comparison of insulation provided by dry or wetsuits among recreational divers during cold water immersion (< 5 degrees C)Peer reviewedOpen access 

      05 octobre 2021, Lafère, Pierre; Guerrero, François; GERMONPRÉ, Peter; BALESTRA, Costantinoorcid-id, HE Bruxelles Brabant
      Article scientifique
      BACKGROUND: Divers thermal status influences susceptibility to decompression sickness hence the need for proper insulation during immersion in cold water. However, there is a lack of data on thermal protection provided by diving suits, hence this study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two different groups of divers wearing either a wetsuit (n = 15) or a dry suit (n = 15) volunteered for this study. Anthropometric ...
    • Coping With Extreme Environments: A Physiological/Psychological ApproachPeer reviewedOpen access 

      25 juin 2019, BALESTRA, Costantinoorcid-id; Kot, Jacek; Efrati, Shai; Guerrero, François; Blatteau, Jean-Eric; Besnard, Stéphane, HE Bruxelles Brabant
      Article scientifique
      Editorial, Introduction à un Livre
    • Correlation between Patent Foramen Ovale, cerebral “lesions” and neuropsychometric testing in experienced sports divers: does diving damage the brain?Peer reviewedOpen access 

      01 juin 2016, BALESTRA, Costantinoorcid-id; Germonpré, Peter, HE Bruxelles Brabant
      Article scientifique
      SCUBA diving exposes divers to decompression sickness (DCS). There has been considerable debate whether divers with a Patent Foramen Ovale of the heart have a higher risk of DCS because of the possible right-to-left shunt of venous decompression bubbles into the arterial circulation. Symptomatic neurological DCS has been shown to cause permanent damage to brain and spinal cord tissue; it has been ...
    • Critical Flicker Fusion Frequency: A Marker of Cerebral Arousal During Modified Gravitational Conditions Related to Parabolic FlightsPeer reviewedOpen access 

      02 octobre 2018, BALESTRA, Costantinoorcid-id; Machado, Marie-Laure; Theunissen, Sigrid; BALESTRA, Ambre; Cialoni, Danilo; Clot, Christian; Besnard, Stépane; Kammacher, Laura; Delzenne, Julie; GERMONPRÉ, Peter; Lafère, Pierre, HE Bruxelles Brabant
      Article scientifique
      In situ evaluation of human brain performance and arousal remains challenging during operational circumstances, hence the need for a rapid, reliable and reproducible tool. Here we hypothesized that the Critical flicker fusion frequency (CFFF) reflecting/requiring visual integration, visuo-motor skills and decision-taking process might be a powerful, fast and simple tool in modified gravity environments. ...
    • Cutis Marmorata skin decompression sickness is a manifestation of brainstem bubble embolization, not of local skin bubblesPeer reviewedClosed access 

      10 avril 2015, Germonpré, Peter; BALESTRA, Costantinoorcid-id; Obeid, Georges; Chers, Dirk, HE Bruxelles Brabant
      Article scientifique
      "Cutis Marmorata" skin symptoms after diving, most frequently in the form of an itching or painful cutaneous red-bluish discoloration are commonly regarded as a mild form of decompression sickness (DCS), and treated with oxygen inhalation without reverting to hyperbaric recompression treatment. It has been observed that the occurrence of Cutis Marmorata is frequently associated with the presence of ...
    • Dark chocolate reduces endothelial dysfunction after successive breath-hold dives in cool waterPeer reviewedOpen access 

      16 septembre 2013, THEUNISSEN, Sigrid; Schumacker, Julie; Guerrero, François; Tillmans, Frauke; BOUTROS, Antoine; Lambrechts, Kate; Mazur, Alexandra; Pieri, Massimo; GERMONPRÉ, Peter; BALESTRA, Costantinoorcid-id, HE Bruxelles Brabant
      Article scientifique
      Objective: The aim of this study is to observe the effects of dark chocolate on endothelial function after a series of successive apnea dives in non-thermoneutral water. Methods: Twenty breath-hold divers were divided into two groups: a control group (8 males and 2 females) and a chocolate group (9 males and 1 female). The control group was asked to perform a series of dives to 20 m adding up to ...
    • Decompression induced bubble dynamics on ex vivo fat and muscle tissue surfaces with a new experimental set upPeer reviewedClosed access 

      04 avril 2015, Papadopoulou, Virginie; Evgenidis, Sotiris; Eckersley, Robert; Mesimeris, Thodoris; BALESTRA, Costantinoorcid-id; Kostoglou, Margaritis; Tang, Meng-Xing; Karapantsios, Thodoris, HE Bruxelles Brabant
      Article scientifique
      Vascular gas bubbles are routinely observed after scuba dives using ultrasound imaging, however the precise formation mechanism and site of these bubbles are still debated and growth from decompression in vivo has not been extensively studied, due in part to imaging difficulties. An experimental set-up was developed for optical recording of bubble growth and density on tissue surface area during ...
    • Decreased Incidence of Pulmonary Barotrauma After Discontinuation of Emergency Free Ascent TrainingPeer reviewedOpen access 

      22 août 2018, Lafère, Pierre; GERMONPRÉ, Peter; Guerrero, François; Marroni, Alessandro; BALESTRA, Costantinoorcid-id, HE Bruxelles Brabant
      Article scientifique
      INTRODUCTION: Because a significant association between training to perform emergency free ascent (EFA) and the occurrence of pulmonary barotrauma (PBT) was demonstrated in 2006, the Belgian Underwater Federation (BUF) decided to discontinue this procedure. An evaluation was needed 10 yr after the implementation of this change. METHODS: All medical records with a diagnosis of PBT that occurred in ...
    • A deep stop during decompression from 82 fsw (25 m) significantly reduces bubbles and fast tissue gas tensions.Peer reviewedOpen access 

      janvier 2004, Marroni A; Bennett PB; Cronje FJ; Cali-Corleo R; GERMONPRÉ, Peter; Pieri M; Bonuccelli C; BALESTRA, Costantinoorcid-id, HE Bruxelles Brabant
      Article scientifique
      n spite of many modifications to decompression algorithms, the incidence of decompression sickness (DCS) in scuba divers has changed very little. The success of stage, compared to linear ascents, is well described yet theoretical changes in decompression ratios have diminished the importance of fast tissue gas tensions as critical for bubble generation. The most serious signs and symptoms of DCS ...
    • Dive Risk Factors, Gas Bubble Formation, and Decompression Illness in Recreational SCUBA Diving: Analysis of DAN Europe DSL Data BasePeer reviewedOpen access 

      10 mai 2017, Cialoni, Danilo; Pieri, Massimo; BALESTRA, Costantinoorcid-id; Marroni, Alessandro, HE Bruxelles Brabant
      Article scientifique
      Introduction: The popularity of SCUBA diving is steadily increasing together with the number of dives and correlated diseases per year. The rules that govern correct decompression procedures are considered well known even if the majority of Decompression Sickness (DCS) cases are considered unexpected confirming a bias in the "mathematical ability" to predict DCS by the current algorithms. Furthermore, ...
    • Diving physiopathology: the end of certainties? Food for thoughtPeer reviewedClosed access 

      27 juin 2019, BALESTRA, Costantinoorcid-id; GERMONPRÉ, Peter; Rocco, Monica; Biancofiore, Giovanni; Kot, Jacek, HE Bruxelles Brabant
      Article scientifique
      Our understanding of decompression physiopathology has slowly improved during this last decade and some uncertainties have disappeared. A better understanding of anatomy and functional aspects of Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) have slowly resulted in a more liberal approach toward the medical fitness to dive for those bearing a PFO. Circulating vascular gas emboli (VGE) are considered the key actors in ...
    • Do Environmental Conditions Contribute to Narcosis Onset and Symptom Severity?Peer reviewedClosed access 

      14 octobre 2016, Lafère, Pierre; BALESTRA, Costantinoorcid-id; HEMELRYCK, Walter; Guerrero, François; GERMONPRÉ, Peter, HE Bruxelles Brabant
      Article scientifique
      Although many factors contributing to inert gas narcosis onset and severity have been put forward, the available evidence is not particularly strong. Using objective criteria, we have assessed brain impairment associated with narcosis under various environmental diving conditions. 40 volunteers performed a no-decompression dive (33 m for 20 min) either in a dry chamber, a pool or open sea. They were ...
    • Early detection of diving-related cognitive impairment of different nitrogen-oxygen gas mixturesPeer reviewedOpen access 

      30 juin 2019, Lafère, Pierre; HEMELRYCK, Walter; GERMONPRÉ, Peter; Matity, Luba; Guerrero, François; BALESTRA, Costantinoorcid-id, HE Bruxelles Brabant
      Article scientifique
      NTRODUCTION: Cognitive impairment related to inert gas narcosis (IGN) is a threat to diving safety and operations at depth that might be reduced by using enriched air nitrox (EANx) mixtures. Using critical flicker fusion frequency (CFFF), a possible early detection of cognitive abilities/cerebral arousal impairment when breathing different oxygen (O2) fractions was investigated. METHODS: Eight male ...