ABSTRACT
Aseptic necrosis of bone has been described in diving lizards (mosasaurs) of the cretaceous period,5 although the association with human diving may not be entirely germane. In man, infarction of areas of bone associated with exposure to pressure, be it in air or water, has been recognized since the turn of the century. Twynam6 first suggested a causal relationship with pressure exposure in 1888 in a case report of a caisson worker constructing the Iron Cove Bridge in Sydney, although in retrospect the man appeared to be suffering from 'septic' necrosis.
