By Wang Qian and Yan Liang
BEIJING, Dec. 11 -- In recent years, with more and more border troops on plateau areas being equipped with hyperbaric oxygen chambers, the problem of oxygen inhalation that plagued China’s border guards has gradually been solved. Always keeping the people in mind, a border defense regiment under the PLA Tibet Military Command decided to make their hyperbaric oxygen chamber available to local herders.
More than a month ago, Suolang, a local herder from where the defense troops station, suffered a severe altitude sickness due to excessive physical exertion when looking for a lost yak in a snowy field. Fortunately, the PLA service members on patrol found dying Suolang and carried him back to the camp. After a hyperbaric oxygen treatment, Suolang gradually recovered.
Fan Yan, a military doctor from the border regiment, introduced that "elevated ambient pressure of the hyperbaric oxygen chamber can simulate environment of sea level standards. The oxygen concentration in the confined space can reach 29 percent, which can effectively prevent acute altitude sickness such as pulmonary edema. Regular use of the hyperbaric oxygen chamber can reduce risks of cardiovascular disease."
A villager who lives close to the border defense troops’ 2nd Battalion said that more than 10 villagers had been treated with the hyperbaric oxygen therapy for more than 20 times, and the treatment rate of sudden plateau diseases has been greatly improved.
In addition to border herders, the border defense regiment also provides emergency rescue for tourists and truck drivers in Tibet.