DCI and hyperbaric chamber experience Cozumel

[KBDNP]

don't eat fish/seafood- am vegetarian- no differential diagnosis given - once he did neuro exam thought it was DCI as had not eaten anything different

 

[Rooster59]

I would still like to see the dive profile, even a crude one. With my comp I can manually advance the time across the graph of a dive and it will display the depth.

 

[FinnMom]

A bit confused here. Exceeding partial pressure recommendation is related to oxygen toxicity issues. The case here is DCS not OxTox. How is setting the computer to Air will diving EAN a contributing factor to DCS in this case? Anyone?

It is not a contributing factor, in fact it is a safety margin.

I think the person writing the post was thinking that setting an incorrect O2 content ("air" = 21% O2) was risky because your computer would believe you had a lower MOD. If you had alarms set for maximum depth based on a max O2 PP, the alarm woulde be too late. As DiveTech pointed out, this is an OxTox and O2 loading risk, not a DCS risk.

 

[dirkadirk]

There are times when we recommend that divers do exactly that: dive nitrox on the air setting. The computer assumes a higher inspired pN2 and so provides a more conservative profile. I do see your point in that if the computer is set to alarm at a pO2 of 1.4 then a diver could inadvertently exceed the MOD for his/her nitrox mix; one can always do the math and adjust the computer's max pO2 accordingly. Also, it's the rare diver who actually has the computer when they show up here. We usually diagnose based on symptom presentation, onset time, and reported dive profiles.

Best regards,
DDM[/QUOTE

Hi DDM, I haven't dived in the States so not 100% on your procedures - here in the UK it is requested and common practice (in my experience) during DCI emergencies for the Incident Manager to ensure the diver is evacuated with their computer on their person - one of the hyperbaric technicians I know informs me they routinely download the profile wherever possible. It is also part of the reporting that we also pass a copy of the slate which includes the O2% and all other dive data for redundancy. Ideally, what I have been taught is always plan your dive and dive your plan, then if the comp goes FUBAR I still have an analogue depth gauge and DTimer that will allow me to maintain my plan from my slate as a back up.
Personally I think if extra conservative measures are required it should be implemented at the planning stage - 'just because I can stay at 30m for 20mins without incurring any deco, doesn't mean I necessarily should' for example. That way I can use my equipment in its proper settings.

NB - This is not a criticism of anyone who does dive without a 'paper-plan' or does mix settings/gas mixes, just my personal view.

Safe diving everyone

 

[rossh]

I am a relatively new diver - have only 100 dives. Even though I thought I followed my profile, was diving 32% Nitrox, I took a neurological hit and ended up in the chamber.

3. I spent the 5 hours trying to figure out what went wrong---only thing I could come up with is 4 days of diving with depths over 90 feet first dive, not a long enough SI between 1st and second dive. Biggest mistake was probably that I trusted when the divemaster said he analyzed my tanks and I did not look to see.

Did the dive master accompany you on every dive? Then he/she did all the same profiles as you, and is still doing them with more new guests after you left. The point being, the profiles were probably OK, and the new guests are doing the same as you. It's more likely the little extra things that have accumulated over the 4 days that did you in.

I am not in medicine - unqualified opinion follows. You might have a pulmonary bypass that puts you at a disadvantage. You may have dehydrated too much over the vacation time, leading to distress. Or one of many other small influences in procedure or dive practices that contribute to overall diving stresses.

 

[Johnoly]

Did the dive master accompany you on every dive? Then he/she did all the same profiles as you, and is still doing them with more new guests after you left. The point being, the profiles were probably OK,

Excellent spot on reply !! I'd get a TEE (not a TTE) PFO test. Your Doc will tell you no, but if you love diving breakout the credit card. Everyone who dives the walls of Coz knows you hit max depth then work your way up the sand chutes to the very shallows to finish the dive. The DM who was probably loaded up with multiple days diving didn't get hit and his tanks came from the same farm.

 

[KeithG]

The DM who was probably loaded up with multiple days diving didn't get hit and his tanks came from the same farm.

Is this common practise in Coz?

In Bonaire the 2 person boat crews swap each dive. So they do half the dives of us clients. Same on the liveaoards we use. The DMs cycle so they often only do 1/3 of the dives I do. And in both cases they are back on the boat 20 minutes before us.

 

[KBDNP]

In answer to the above questions
1. I was told by DAN MD that there is only one place in Cozumel that has the membranes to do the nitrox - the DM was using nitrox as well
2. I followed a similar profile to the DM- there were only 2 of us and the DM--- current was strong so there were some times he may have been above/below me etc
3. In Cozumel where I was staying they are 2 tank dives. The same DM goes down on both dives --- yes he may have been loaded up from dives (not sure if he worked day before)...only difference he was probably close to 40 years younger then me :cool2:

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

Hi DDM, I haven't dived in the States so not 100% on your procedures - here in the UK it is requested and common practice (in my experience) during DCI emergencies for the Incident Manager to ensure the diver is evacuated with their computer on their person - one of the hyperbaric technicians I know informs me they routinely download the profile wherever possible. It is also part of the reporting that we also pass a copy of the slate which includes the O2% and all other dive data for redundancy.

That' a rare occurrence here. Can you send some of that mojo across the pond please?

Best regards,
DDM

---------- Post added September 15th, 2015 at 03:24 PM ----------

Excellent spot on reply !! I'd get a TEE (not a TTE) PFO test. Your Doc will tell you no, but if you love diving breakout the credit card.

It's not clear that a PFO test is indicated here.

Best regards,
DDM

 

[oacy16]

I think there is nothing to do with NITROX. Ascending to fast could cause these symptoms.