DCI incidence statistics and trends (dive computers)?

[DevonDiver]

...in a chamber. You will find that most of the visitors either 1. dive without tables (or anything), or else 2. they dive with computers and treat them as magical talismans. It is precisely because people treat dive computers as talismans, and dive right to the edge of the NDLs provided by the computer, when those very limits are themselves way beyond what a table based square profiles will allow.

I'm pretty aware of what chambers in my region deal with... was wondering what the qualified dive medical opinion on the above statements was?

Is there a distinct trend that dive computer use directly attributes to DCI?
Is there a distinct trend that dive computer users suffer (proportionally) more DCI hits than dive table users?

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

I'm pretty aware of what chambers in my region deal with... was wondering what the qualified dive medical opinion on the above statements was?

Is there a distinct trend that dive computer use directly attributes to DCI?
Is there a distinct trend that dive computer users suffer (proportionally) more DCI hits than dive table users?

Andy,
The short answer is no, but quantifying this is difficult because so many divers use computers now. We're developing a metric that will examine this more closely.

 

[Thalassamania]

I seem to recall that in the early days of computers there seemed to be a higher incidence of DCS amongst computer users, but that may have been an artifact of the fact that most of the industry was anti-computer and was looking for targets.

 

[Wayan]

We get a lot people that either

dive with a buddy " I do not need pone cos I am with them doing the same dive.........."

"My computer says I am ok . . . . ."

And a lot that just do not underdstand the data being given them.....

So with the people we have treated of the years we so no increase or decrease in the cases becuase of computers . . . .

 

[squid509]

Andy,
The short answer is no, but quantifying this is difficult because so many divers use computers now. We're developing a metric that will examine this more closely.

is that what your guys are doing with
DAN Divers Alert Network : Medical Research : PDE
???

 

[Kevrumbo]

The general trends for Diving Accident Victims we see here in Southern California:

Initial Reported or Observed Problem of Divers Brought to the Catalina Hyperbaric Chamber (1995 - 2000):

Buoyancy Problem: 12%
Air Supply Problem: 11%
Buddy Problems: 10%
Decompression Problem: 6%
Equalizing Problem: 6%
Pain: 6%
Uncomfortable: 5%
Environmental Problem: 4%
Equipment Problem: 3%
Medical Problem: 3%
Regulator Problem: 3%
Rapid Ascent: 2%
Fatigue: 2%
Rebreather Problem: 2%
Mask Problem: 2%
Aspiration (water): 1%
Panic: 1%
No Problems Noted: approx. 10% occurrence

Quote: Divers Brought to the Catalina Chamber
--Did They Panic During the Dive?
Panicked: 33%
Did not Panic: 42%
Unknown: 25%

Quote: Divers Brought to the Catalina Chamber and
Suffering From AGE/Drowning/Near Drowning
--Did They Panic During the Dive?
Panicked: 51%
Did not Panic: 19%
Unknown: 30%

Quote:Cases from 1995 thru 2000
Of 154 Divers Brought to the Chamber:
76 (49%) Recompressed:
43 (57%) of which were DCS related
33 (43%) of which were Air Embolism related

78 (51%) Not Recompressed:
23 (29%) Rule Out AGE
23 (29%) Rule Out DCS
19 (24%) Near Drowning
9 (12%) Drowning
4 (5%) AGE/DCS Refused Treatment Against Medical Advice

19 (12%) Full Arrest --Fatalities