Pneumo thorax

[Mossen1]

In my 20's I had spontaneous pneumo thorax four times. Now some 30 years later I wanted to take a scuba course but learned that my old lung condition prevented me from doing that. My question now is if it really is probable that I have a significantly higher risk and if there are any tests I can do to check this.

 

[Jim Ernst]

See your Doctor, and get the best check up you can, when I was 23 I had a bad car wreck, I am now 48, I had a rib go through my lung, I have been diving and am an Instructor now for 7 years, It seems it depends on the scar tissue.

Your best advice here on the board would come from Lynn, (TSandM) She is a Cardiac Surgeon , and very well knows Medical Diving!!

Do a search for TSandM and then send Lynn a Private Message, and ask her advice, she can send you in the right Direction..

My pneumothorax was Traumatic, your was Not.....

 

[Easdem]

I know that spontaneous pneumothorax history is contraindication to SCUBA since they occur as a result of some underlying lung dissease and there is a high risk of developing another one at any time. If you were to have to have one at depth or worse on ascent, it would be very bad.

On the other hand, depending on the severity of a pneumothorax caused by trauma and how well it healed, one can be cleared to dive.

I'm not sure wether or not the risk for a reocurrance diminishes with time, but I am sure that the MD's will soon chime in.

Also, you can PM Duke Dive Medicine and they can consult with your doctor to evaluate your dive fitness...

until then read this DAN Divers Alert Network

and this
Pneumothorax

good luck....

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

In my 20's I had spontaneous pneumo thorax four times. Now some 30 years later I wanted to take a scuba course but learned that my old lung condition prevented me from doing that. My question now is if it really is probable that I have a significantly higher risk and if there are any tests I can do to check this.

Mossen1,
A history of spontaneous pneumothorax is typically an absolute contraindication to diving. Somtimes a person who experiences one spontaneous pneumo without complications can be cleared to dive later in life after approval from a pulmonologist and a diving physician. Unfortunately, in a person who's had four separate incidents, the risk is too high. I'm terribly sorry, but based on the history you've given, we would not give you medical clearance and would advise you not to take up SCUBA diving.
Kindest regards,
Duke Dive Medicine

 

[TSandM]

I'm with Duke Dive Medicine (and, btw, I am NOT a cardiac surgeon. I WAS a general surgeon, but I'm an ER doc nowadays).

The cause of spontaneous pneumothorax is abnormality of the underlying lung. The lung can have blebs, or blisters on its surface, that are fragile and prone to popping. Or it can have areas of emphysema (abnormal lung tissue) that are less flexible (fibrotic). We know there is a significant recurrence risk for spontaneous pneumothorax, and it is higher with each recurrence. Did you end up having a surgical procedure to tack the lung up (pleurodesis)?

It's disappointing news, I know . . . but as we say about diving safety in general, there is nothing under there worth dying for.

 

[Jim Ernst]

I'm with Duke Dive Medicine (and, btw, I am NOT a cardiac surgeon. I WAS a general surgeon, but I'm an ER doc nowadays).

The cause of spontaneous pneumothorax is abnormality of the underlying lung. The lung can have blebs, or blisters on its surface, that are fragile and prone to popping. Or it can have areas of emphysema (abnormal lung tissue) that are less flexible (fibrotic). We know there is a significant recurrence risk for spontaneous pneumothorax, and it is higher with each recurrence. Did you end up having a surgical procedure to tack the lung up (pleurodesis)?

It's disappointing news, I know . . . but as we say about diving safety in general, there is nothing under there worth dying for.

Oooopppss..... I am sorry Lynn, somewhere I must have got my wires crossed!!