We studied the alteration in regional blood flow in minipigs' femur under inadequate decompression after hyperbaric air exposure. The animals were placed in the hyperbaric chamber and exposed to the pressure of 0.5 MPa for 1.5 h, which was reduced to atmosphere at an ascent rate of 0.03-0.04 MPa/min. Regional blood flow in the femur was measured by the isotopes washout method of inhaling 133Xe. The radioactivity was monitored by a multifunctional blood flowmeter interfaced to a minicomputer. Before exposure, the values of average blood flow (F) of femur on the left and right were 15.4 +/- 1.8 and 16.9 +/- 2.0 ml/100 g.min respectively. The values of blood flow (f1) of hematopoietic marrow were 19.1 +/- 2.0 and 21.3 +/- 2.0 ml/100 g.min (n = 7). After inadequate decompression, F values were reduced to 10.3 +/- 1.8 and 11.1 +/- 1.6 ml/100 g.min and f1 values reduced to 13.9 +/- 1.4 and 13.8 +/- 1.0 ml/100 g.min (n = 7), which were obviously lower than those before exposure (P < 0.05). This experiment showed that significant reduction in blood flow in the femur region occurred under inadequate decompression after the exposure of minipigs hyperbaric environment, suggesting that ischemia is a causative factor of osteonecrosis.