20 months ago I couldn't spell pneumothorax, now I have had one

[COMABOY]

Greetings folks,
about 20 months ago I highsided my kwaka ZX14 and flew head first into a tree. I busted 3 vertebrae in my neck, 6 in my spine, 6 ribs, my sternum, right collar bone, 2 brain bleeds (left me with slow speech and impaired concentration/memory) and a pneumothorax.

I have a dive trip out on the great barrier reef tomorrow and am beeling a little nervous about it. Given that that my injuries happened so long ago do you guys reckon I would be ok to dive..... I checked with my rehabilitation specialist (who is not a dive doc) and he just waved his hand at me and said '....naaaah... go ahead and enjoy yourself johnno'

waddaya think ??

ComaBoy

 

[Griffo]

I'm going to watch this thread, as my initial reaction is that there is now way in hell I'd dive after a pneumothorax without checking with a dive doctor first. Hopefully some of the knowledgeable people here may have different opinions, but i'd seek out an opinion from someone who understands the unique stresses of diving first.
I'm a DAN member so I'd just ring DAN - are you?

 

[BluewaterSail]

I recommend that you post this question in the Dive Medicine part of the board to get some professional opinions.

I also agree with calling DAN.

 

[COMABOY]

no bloke, I Put Another Dollar In (PADI) quite regularly

where is this medical forum ??

 

[DevonDiver]

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A ScubaBoard Staff Message...

Moved post into the Medical Forum.

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---------- Post Merged at 04:57 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 04:54 PM ----------

I had a student a couple of years ago who had received a penetrating high-calibre gunshot wound (military service) through the chest, that involved significant lung damage. My first reaction, as an instructor, was that there was no-way he'd be cleared to dive. However, he turned up for training with a signed MD's medical statement (diving doctor) that cleared him... you live and learn.

However, as others have said.. there is no way that I'd go scuba diving without absolute confirmation for a specialist diving MD.

 

[Zeke XA3]

If you are an Intro diver and you tick yes to the serious injury/pneumothorax question in Queensland i doubt any operator would allow you to dive without having seen a QLD dive doctor to obtain clearance.

If you are a certified diver its a little more complicated, however as supervisor on a boat in the GBR region if you turned up with that story i would not allow you to dive without clearance from a QLD diving doctor. So get some advice here but TBH i would go get a medical, itll cost you $50 or so and give you a definite answer valid for your diving on the GBR.

 

[DocVikingo]

Hi COMABOY,

Your concerns are not simply limited to diving after pneumothorax. The mention of "2 brain bleeds (left me with slow speech and impaired concentration/memory)" and multiple, severe orthopedic injuries also requires consideration.

The diver with a history of severe head trauma will want to insure that attention, concentration, memory, information processing speed, decision-making, judgment and other cognitive capacities relevant to SCUBA, as well as level of behavioral control, are appropriate to the demands of the recreation.

Moreover, the diver with a history of severe trauma to the skeletal structure will want to insure that strength, flexibility and agility are appropriate to the requirements of sport diving.

As for the pneumothorax, what is described is a traumatic pneumothorax. Given resolution of the condition and normal lung/respiratory function, this history should pose no meaningful risk for diving.

BTW, I fully concur with Zeke. If you answer truthfully on the diving medical questionnaire required by all dive ops in QLD, you will not be allowed to dive without a valid dive medical certificate that complies with AS4005.1. All of the QLD ops of which I am aware are quite serious about this.

Regards,

DocVikingo

This is educational only and does not constitute or imply a doctor-patient relationship. It is not medical advice to you or any other individual, and should not be construed as such.

---------- Post Merged at 03:59 AM ---------- Previous Post was at 03:45 AM ----------

I also agree with calling DAN.

Hi COMABOY,

If you decide to do this, your contact is DAN Divers Alert Network - Asia Pacific.

Regards,

DocVikingo

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

Doc, that is one of the best and most concise posts I've ever seen here.

 

[DocVikingo]

Doc, that is one of the best and most concise posts I've ever seen here.

Thank you, DDM. Kind of you to say.

Yours,

Doc

 

[TSandM]

What Doc Vikingo said . . . many things in your story concern me more than the pneumothorax.