Anyone Out There That Has Had A Collapsed Lung?

[TSandM]

Spontaneous pneumothorax (meaning without trauma) is considered to be one of the medical contraindications to diving. The reason is that spontaneous pneumothorax almost always suggests anatomical abnormalities in the lung structure, and the risk of recurrence is real. Pneumothorax while diving would be horribly dangerous, as the air escaped from the lung and trapped between the lung and chest wall would expand with ascent -- This could easily be lethal.

I doubt that there are any physicians out there who would sign off a patient with prior spontaneous pneumothorax for diving. If there are any, I'm quite sure they would require a high resolution CT scan of the lungs before doing so.

Traumatic pneumothorax is a completely different animal, as it doesn't imply anything was wrong with the lung in the first place.

 

[jbd]

They said it was becuase I was tall, or from the horrible air where I live. I found the search button and I found out I cannot dive. This really sucks.

This is something that is seen with really tall, typically thin people. There is also a structural anomaly, (the name completely escapes me) of the thoracic skeleton that can, as I recall, be related to problems with the spontaneous collapsing of the lungs or shifting of the thoracic anatomy.

As TSandM noted, should you experience such a collapse while underwater, the results could very easily be lethal.

 

[tracydr]

I don't believe that's a complete contraindication to diving. If I were doing your physical, I would hold release until I called DAN and talked to a specialist. Find a doctor who is a diver. If you had the lung repaired (by talc or other options to make it stick to the wall so that it won't happen again) then it should be fine.
I do know of one diver who had a spontaneous pneumo but I don't think he's had a physical for diving since and he dives very infrequentlly. He is however, exceptionally athletic. (retired E-8 first sergeant from the Army)
Good luck!! Find a diving doctor or even a pulmonologist/dive doctor to do your physical.

 

[Hemlon]

Six string,

Also keep in mind that IF you are able to find a doctor to sign off on your pre-cert physical exam, you will still have another issue.

Most dive resorts/dive ops require you to fill out a health disclosure. If you are honest and disclose your history, there is a chance that even with a dr's release, they may not let you dive.

 

[tracydr]

I guess what I meant to say is that it would depend on the reason for pneumothorax too. Spontaneous, big risk of recurrence. Traumatic, should be healed, maybe even better than new due to adhesions.

 

[Hemlon]

Tracy,

The OP has said in a prev post that it was not the result of an injury. See above.

 

[Gary D.]

Times have changed as we learn more medically. The guy with his back to the camera was one of the divers on my team. He had a Spontaneous pneumothorax in the 60's in Scuba and said it was about the most painful thing he had ever experienced. After a few dry months he was right back at the Navy repair grind where 1000+ dives a year were the norm.

I know people now that have had them and the doc’s say you’re done diving period. Times change and so do the rules.

http://www.scubaboard.com/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/35319/cat/500/ppuser/2714

Gary D.

 

[six_string_superman]

This occured when I was 17, Im 21 now so I am still young enough to heal myself. I went to my family doctor, he booked me for a CT, but I still would like to speak with a dive doctor. Thank you everyone for your input.

 

[Thalassamania]

A history of spontaneous pneumothorax is and absolute contraindication to diving. SSI Medical Form

 

[Gene_Hobbs]

A history of spontaneous pneumothorax is and absolute contraindication to diving. SSI Medical Form

What he said.

DAN comments here and here.

Fitness to Dive.
Vorosmarti J, Linaweaver PG (eds). 34th Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society Workshop. UHMS Publication Number 70(WS-WD)5-1-87. 1987
RRR ID: 4249