Well right now im sitting in the hospital with a nice tube in my chest . Basically i wadded up my sportbike at the racetrack pretty bad, breaking 4 ribs and collapsing my rt lung. Will i be able to dive after this , or am i out of the water . I hope i can still dive , i dont know how much longer i will be racing. I will be spending a lot more time in the water once i get off the race track.
diving after a lung injury
- Thread starter terrasmak
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I had a punctured lung way before I started diving...I went to a specialist for clearance to dive because I claimed it on the PADI Medical form (my instructor wouldn't let me do OW until then)...I am fine to dive. It is different if you puncture your lung from a rib than have it collapse from within...just give yourself time, get a Dr. to give you the go ahead and you should be fine.
Just my 2PSI
K
Just my 2PSI
K
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Hi terrasmak,
For several reasons, collapse of a lung due to such mishap as a bike or motorcycle accident (traumatic pneumothorax) generally poses fewer concerns for return to scuba than does collapse that occurs without apparent provocation (spontaneous pneumothorax).
Nevertheless, traumatic pneumothorax still requires careful evaluation when considering resumption of diving. The diver which such a history will want to undergo imaging of the lung to rule out meaningful scarring of or air trapping within lung tissue. Pulmonary function testing and other indices of lung function also should prove within normal limits.
An individual with a clinical picture such as described in this inquiry should, even under the best of recovery scenarios, anticipate being off scuba for at least 3 months.
Of course the call on return to diving will be a joint decision between the patient and his physician(s).
Helpful?
This is educational only and does not constitute or imply a doctor-patient relationship. It is not medical advice with you or any other individual and should not be construed as such.
Regards,
DocVikingo
For several reasons, collapse of a lung due to such mishap as a bike or motorcycle accident (traumatic pneumothorax) generally poses fewer concerns for return to scuba than does collapse that occurs without apparent provocation (spontaneous pneumothorax).
Nevertheless, traumatic pneumothorax still requires careful evaluation when considering resumption of diving. The diver which such a history will want to undergo imaging of the lung to rule out meaningful scarring of or air trapping within lung tissue. Pulmonary function testing and other indices of lung function also should prove within normal limits.
An individual with a clinical picture such as described in this inquiry should, even under the best of recovery scenarios, anticipate being off scuba for at least 3 months.
Of course the call on return to diving will be a joint decision between the patient and his physician(s).
Helpful?
This is educational only and does not constitute or imply a doctor-patient relationship. It is not medical advice with you or any other individual and should not be construed as such.
Regards,
DocVikingo
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Hi scubak,
The inquirer states, "Basically i wadded up my sportbike at the racetrack pretty bad, breaking 4 ribs and collapsing my rt lung."
In your response you indicate, "It is different if you puncture your lung from a rib than have it collapse from within..."
Given that Terrasmak makes no mention of perforation of the lung by a rib, and that it is entirely possible for blunt trauma to both fracture ribs and collapse a lung without lung puncture, it's not clear to me what you're trying to communicate.
Also, all pneumothoraces are in essence "collapses from within." Is there a particular distinction you're endeavoring to make?
Thanks,
DocVikingo
The inquirer states, "Basically i wadded up my sportbike at the racetrack pretty bad, breaking 4 ribs and collapsing my rt lung."
In your response you indicate, "It is different if you puncture your lung from a rib than have it collapse from within..."
Given that Terrasmak makes no mention of perforation of the lung by a rib, and that it is entirely possible for blunt trauma to both fracture ribs and collapse a lung without lung puncture, it's not clear to me what you're trying to communicate.
Also, all pneumothoraces are in essence "collapses from within." Is there a particular distinction you're endeavoring to make?
Thanks,
DocVikingo
Doc, I believe she's making the distinction between spontaneous and traumatic pneumothorax, since spontaneous pneumothorax has such a high likelihood of underlying structural abnormality of the lung.
Doc's right, terrasmak. You're probably going to be okay to go back to diving, but it depends on how much damage was done to the lung, and in any case, you need several months to heal the ribs and the lung itself. Sorry to hear about your accident -- chest tubes are no fun at all (except to put in, but that's another thing altogether
)
Doc's right, terrasmak. You're probably going to be okay to go back to diving, but it depends on how much damage was done to the lung, and in any case, you need several months to heal the ribs and the lung itself. Sorry to hear about your accident -- chest tubes are no fun at all (except to put in, but that's another thing altogether
)You have to be one sadistic person to like putting them in, OMG that sucked , never felt anything like that before.TSandM:chest tubes are no fun at all (except to put in, but that's another thing altogether
It was only a partial collapse no puncture, i actually walked into the ER , the ontrack medics cleared me , but advised me to go get checked out .
They have me off suction today , so the tube is only hooked up for drainage. May get it pulled tomorrow , it may even come out this afternoon.
DocVikingo thankyou for the insite , as i understand it looks like it is very hopefull to get back in the water , i just need to find a Dr who is very familier with diving and of course some good time to heal.
I was speaking as in terms of a traumatic pneumothorax and not a spontanious one...mine happened well over 20 years ago. It was caused by a car accident whereas my ribs were broken and one punctured my lung. Since I disclosed it to my dive instructor, they suggested that I get a "clearance" to dive. That was several years ago...good to dive.
K
K
terrasmak, one of my personal points of pride is that I can put in a chest tube so the patient hardly feels it!
well the Dr who did mine , i definatly felt it . Hell he basically did a class with me . I dont know what they drugged me with , but i didnt really kick in till 5 10 minutes after they put it in. Then i was in lalla land. Pulling it out , they just did a few hours ago . Thats the sickest feeling i have ever felt.
Glad to hear you made it back home. How are the shoulders doing? I am sure it is going to take some time tell you can get the doubles back on. It has been raining here for the last two months. So I havn't been diving much. I will be back home in the next three months. If you still can't dive when I get home we can assemble your other bike.
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