I am currently a licensed medic (17 years) in Missouri. As for the SpO2 monitor, I don’t think it would be helpful especially post dive. Firstly, your hands with be cold, no matter the temp of the water due to conductive cooling (water does that) and secondly, oxygen is the primary treatment for DCS/DCI. The faster you can get oxygen to the patient, the better the outcome.
That being said, in the case of cardiac arrest, end tidal CO2 (etco2) is the gold standard. In all of the cardiac arrest cases I have worked in my career, I have never consulted the SpO2. Etco2 will spike in ROSC (return of spontaneous circulation) above 45mmhg is what I look for. I teach Advanced Life Support as well as Pediatric Life Support and Basic Life Support. While I haven’t come across many dive injuries during my career, I have dealt with plenty of respiratory conditions that SpO2 just is not useful for.
Current guidelines are for SpO2 reading to be >94% on room air. Beyond that, if the percentage is lower, then you can apply oxygen as needed to titrate to 94%. But you will never need to titrate when treating DCI/DCS. Hit’s flow oxygen until a doctor changes the orders.
That being said, in the case of cardiac arrest, end tidal CO2 (etco2) is the gold standard. In all of the cardiac arrest cases I have worked in my career, I have never consulted the SpO2. Etco2 will spike in ROSC (return of spontaneous circulation) above 45mmhg is what I look for. I teach Advanced Life Support as well as Pediatric Life Support and Basic Life Support. While I haven’t come across many dive injuries during my career, I have dealt with plenty of respiratory conditions that SpO2 just is not useful for.
Current guidelines are for SpO2 reading to be >94% on room air. Beyond that, if the percentage is lower, then you can apply oxygen as needed to titrate to 94%. But you will never need to titrate when treating DCI/DCS. Hit’s flow oxygen until a doctor changes the orders.
