This month Alert Diver produced an article on In-Water Recompression. The Article was pretty good and detailed. I was curious how many folks have attempted it and if it worked. Also, what is the general thoughts about it?
In-Water Recompression
- Thread starter Vinny B
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There are a fair number of threads on this topic, I recommend a Google search: "In-Water Recompression site:scubaboard.com"
seaducer
Contributor
General thoughts...mostly that I do not know enough about it. I would speculate that it would be better to evacuate the diver to a real facility rather than try remcompression in the water.
Where I dive the CG is never far away via helicopter. 100% O2 until they can get them to a stable hyperbaric chamber with all the trimmings...like doctors and such. Unless you really know what you are doing the chances of making things worse is just too great. IMO
Where I dive the CG is never far away via helicopter. 100% O2 until they can get them to a stable hyperbaric chamber with all the trimmings...like doctors and such. Unless you really know what you are doing the chances of making things worse is just too great. IMO
Mr Carcharodon
Contributor
Try googling this: IN-WATER RECOMPRESSION AS AN EMERGENCY FIELD TREATMENT OF DECOMPRESSION ILLNESS, Richard L. Pyle & David A. Youngblood
My take away is that it should not be a first choice where there is ready acess to treatment. But in remote warm water locations it may be an option.
My take away is that it should not be a first choice where there is ready acess to treatment. But in remote warm water locations it may be an option.
The article was essentially worthless for actually doing it.
Kinda like the "gas planning" which was discussed in the deep diving article in the same issue.
Some of these people will still die on that 100% O2. Probably not the recreational audience the article targets. Problem is the worse Type 2 cases are least capable of getting back in the water. Those patients could at least reduce their gas and bubble loads to the point where they could survive the trip.
A surprising number of people have gotten back in the water with symptoms and at least moderated those symptoms through a judicious deco profile. Just going diving again is probably going to make things worse.
A last chance scenario really if nothing else is available and provided the diver is conscious.
I think that some dive operators out in the sticks should look at small inflatable chambers, easy to set up and no chance of a drowning either. Their use however is controversial with regards to hyperbaric treatment for divers, plus training is required to operate chambers, not something that just anyone can do.
I think that some dive operators out in the sticks should look at small inflatable chambers, easy to set up and no chance of a drowning either. Their use however is controversial with regards to hyperbaric treatment for divers, plus training is required to operate chambers, not something that just anyone can do.
LenC
Registered
I've heard second and third person accounts of this but have only seen it done once myself. That was at Darwin Island in the Galapagos. Too far away from any medical facility, so there wasn't much choice. I agree it is a last resort thing. You're better off going sour on deck than under the water.
I've gone right back down and extended my decompression surfacing slowly until symptoms subsided. I've had DCI symptoms twice 22 years apart with no chamber rides over a 30 year diving career.
The first time, I was not placed on oxygen after reporting symptoms to the captain of a Bahama Divers in Nassau boat around 1988. We had made a 180 foot dive in a blue hole following the guide. They didn't want to waste it and didn't think I was "sick enough" since I "should be screaming" and I probably just had "the worries." I remained on the boat all day. I hadn't been feeling well (stomach issues) and I was dehydrated prior to the dive.
The second time, as a trained technical diver, I needed to ascend above my deco ceiling while swimming into a strong current to undo the line of a drift float which had snagged an outcropping. I had minor symptoms and decided to risk going back down to see if I could surface less symptomatic or asymptomatic. I extended my deco and surfaced with no immediate symptoms. Later, I felt a few tingles while at the hotel and went to oxygen while watching a movie. Symptoms subsided.
I had a friend who came out of Eagle's Nest and developed major symptoms in the Carolinas on the drive back to Philadelphia. He called DAN while driving into NC and was instructed to go to the chamber at the University of Pennsylvania another 10 hours away.
Like other injuries, some diving doctors believe immediate treatment is the best. Technical divers are far more trained and equipped to do IWR more so than recreational divers - especially with today's lowered standards which are designed to not place a student in stressful situations. Tech divers are often trained under stress. Some agencies have always presented IWR as an option in remote areas.
I'm pretty in touch with my body having had so much physical training and damage, operations and rehab done to it over the years. When I made the decision to go back down it was "instinct" more than than reason. Sort of like how you know the difference between good pain and bad pain when rehabbing a knee. I wouldn't recommend IWR unless it is your only option, but sometimes divers will go back down because they have a feeling they can make it better right away. At that point, you are listening to your inner voice and hoping you aren't lying to yourself.
The first time, I was not placed on oxygen after reporting symptoms to the captain of a Bahama Divers in Nassau boat around 1988. We had made a 180 foot dive in a blue hole following the guide. They didn't want to waste it and didn't think I was "sick enough" since I "should be screaming" and I probably just had "the worries." I remained on the boat all day. I hadn't been feeling well (stomach issues) and I was dehydrated prior to the dive.
The second time, as a trained technical diver, I needed to ascend above my deco ceiling while swimming into a strong current to undo the line of a drift float which had snagged an outcropping. I had minor symptoms and decided to risk going back down to see if I could surface less symptomatic or asymptomatic. I extended my deco and surfaced with no immediate symptoms. Later, I felt a few tingles while at the hotel and went to oxygen while watching a movie. Symptoms subsided.
I had a friend who came out of Eagle's Nest and developed major symptoms in the Carolinas on the drive back to Philadelphia. He called DAN while driving into NC and was instructed to go to the chamber at the University of Pennsylvania another 10 hours away.
Like other injuries, some diving doctors believe immediate treatment is the best. Technical divers are far more trained and equipped to do IWR more so than recreational divers - especially with today's lowered standards which are designed to not place a student in stressful situations. Tech divers are often trained under stress. Some agencies have always presented IWR as an option in remote areas.
I'm pretty in touch with my body having had so much physical training and damage, operations and rehab done to it over the years. When I made the decision to go back down it was "instinct" more than than reason. Sort of like how you know the difference between good pain and bad pain when rehabbing a knee. I wouldn't recommend IWR unless it is your only option, but sometimes divers will go back down because they have a feeling they can make it better right away. At that point, you are listening to your inner voice and hoping you aren't lying to yourself.
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