Use of a Hypobaric Chamber for Pre-Acclimatization before Climbing Mount Everest

Abstract Climbing Mount Everest needs an acclimatization period of 3 to 4 weeks between 3000 and 6000 m. In order to reduce this period of time spent in dangerous conditions, an experience of pre-acclimatization was performed with 5 elite alpinists (4 male, 1 female), aged 30 ± 4 yrs (mean ± SD), be...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of sports medicine 1992-10, Vol.13 (S 1), p.S216-S220
Main Authors: Richalet, J.-P., Bittel, J., Herry, J.-P., Savourey, G., Le Trong, J.-L., Auvert, J.-F., Janin, C.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acclimatization - physiology
Adult
Altitude
Applied physiology
Atmosphere Exposure Chambers
Biological and medical sciences
Female
France
Human physiology applied to population studies and life conditions. Human ecophysiology
Humans
Hypoxia - physiopathology
Hypoxia - prevention & control
Male
Medical sciences
Mountaineering - physiology
Nepal
Oxygen Consumption - physiology
Physical Endurance - physiology
Space life sciences
Transports. Aerospace. Diving. Altitude
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Summary:Abstract Climbing Mount Everest needs an acclimatization period of 3 to 4 weeks between 3000 and 6000 m. In order to reduce this period of time spent in dangerous conditions, an experience of pre-acclimatization was performed with 5 elite alpinists (4 male, 1 female), aged 30 ± 4 yrs (mean ± SD), before their attempt to climb Mount Everest. Subjects first remained one week on Mont-Blanc (between 4350 and 4807 m), then spent a total of 38 hours in a hypobaric chamber (in 4 consecutive days) from 5000 to 8500 m standard altitude. Then, they flew to Kathmandu and reached 7800 m five days only after leaving the base camp. The pre-acclimatization period showed a 12% increase in hemoglobin concentration, and no change in ventilatory response to hypoxia. Arterial oxygen saturation at submaximal exercise in hypoxia (FIO 2 = 0.115) increased from 75 ± 4 to 82 ± 3%, probably because of an efficient ventilatory acclimatization. On Mount Everest, the speed of ascent was very high (5600 m of altitude gain in 6 days), knowing that in conventional expeditions, 12 to 32 days are generally necessary to reach, safe, the same altitude. In conclusion, pre-acclimatization seems to have triggered efficient mechanisms which allowed climbers to save 1 to 3 weeks of time in mountain conditions.
ISSN:0172-4622
1439-3964
DOI:10.1055/s-2007-1024644