Spinal Cord DCS experience?

[espenskogen]

Pilot fish, I've been wondering that myself. @25m to 6m in 4 minutes.

The good news is that he's home and walking around with a cane. He will always have some spasticity. However, he's totally driven and improving tremendously already.

In answer to others' questions and for the record, according to the neuro team at Stanford, AGE was the mechanism that triggered the Spinal DCS. In regards to PFO, he hasn't been checked, but he works out 4x/week and has excellent endurance which seems atypical for PFO.

Lastly, Rawls and others, your supportive words are very helpful. Thank you!

I am surprised it was AGE - An AGE is usually caused by a pulmonary barotrauma - I.e burst lung. If a diver had a burst lung, he'd probably be coughing blood upon reaching the surface, and all in all not feel well at all.

I haven't heard of AGE being caused any other way, but I might be wrong - If any of the medical docs here have a view on this, it'd be great to get your input.

E

 

[espenskogen]

Pilot fish, I've been wondering that myself. @25m to 6m in 4 minutes.

This is well within recommendations - 10 m/minute is the normal ascent rate.

 

[pilot fish]

That does not seem fast to me but wait to hear from someone else here on the board that has more info on that. It seems ok but I'm not totally sure.

Great to hear about his improvement. it is indeed scary what can go wrong. We wish him full recovery. You say he was told he'd have some residual spacticity? What is that? Slight tremor?

God speed to him

Pilot fish, I've been wondering that myself. @25m to 6m in 4 minutes.

The good news is that he's home and walking around with a cane. He will always have some spasticity. However, he's totally driven and improving tremendously already.

In answer to others' questions and for the record, according to the neuro team at Stanford, AGE was the mechanism that triggered the Spinal DCS. In regards to PFO, he hasn't been checked, but he works out 4x/week and has excellent endurance which seems atypical for PFO.

Lastly, Rawls and others, your supportive words are very helpful. Thank you!

 

[cerich]

I consulted with DAN and found them extemely helpful. Being once a year vacation divers, we didn't know about DAN insurance and what a benefit it is to have. If I ever dive again, I will join DAN.

UUGH!!!!!

Please all instructors, tell your students about DAN and dive insurance (from Dan, PADI , NAUI whoever)

To me that is as important as mask clearing.

 

[devolution365]

Spasticity is when the muscles become stiff and tight because the brain isn't communicating with them correctly.

 

[espenskogen]

I am surprised it was AGE - An AGE is usually caused by a pulmonary barotrauma - I.e burst lung. If a diver had a burst lung, he'd probably be coughing blood upon reaching the surface, and all in all not feel well at all.

I haven't heard of AGE being caused any other way, but I might be wrong - If any of the medical docs here have a view on this, it'd be great to get your input.

E

Reading a bit more about it, I found that although it is usually caused by a burst lung, in many cases, the lung injury isn't visible on chest X-rays, and that it is not always accompanied by coughing blood and all of that.

Makes you realize why asthma isn't really compatible with diving though.

E

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

AGE? PFO is a likely suspect if I'm not mistaken.

 

[DandyDon]

In answer to others' questions and for the record, according to the neuro team at Stanford, AGE was the mechanism that triggered the Spinal DCS. In regards to PFO, he hasn't been checked, but he works out 4x/week and has excellent endurance which seems atypical for PFO.

Right - PFOs seem to be associated with unexpected DCS, while AGEs have a connection to Asthma, as MoorWrasse suggested early here.

I am surprised it was AGE - An AGE is usually caused by a pulmonary barotrauma - I.e burst lung. If a diver had a burst lung, he'd probably be coughing blood upon reaching the surface, and all in all not feel well at all.

I haven't heard of AGE being caused any other way, but I might be wrong - If any of the medical docs here have a view on this, it'd be great to get your input.

E

MoonWrasse suggested this early here, quoting from a link he gave above:
"Potential dive dangers: Though some asthma medications can cause racing heartbeat, the real risk is the condition. People with asthma tend to get air trapped in their lungs, which predisposes them to arterial gas embolism (AGE) when they ascend. "Even swimming to the boat is risky. Most asthma-related accidents happen on the surface because aerosols of salt water can provoke hyperactive airways."

UUGH!!!!!

Please all instructors, tell your students about DAN and dive insurance (from Dan, PADI , NAUI whoever)

To me that is as important as mask clearing.

I wonder how many vacation divers hear about DAN but decide it's not for them. It IS!

 

[Hangingupthewetsuit]

Regarding, "I wonder how many vacation divers hear about DAN but decide it's not for them" -- We didn't know about it. Had we did we would have joined. Definitely some to learn from all this.

 

[*Floater*]

I wonder how many vacation divers hear about DAN but decide it's not for them. It IS!

About 8% of SB members don't feel dive insurance is worth it according to my very unscientific poll, but most of them are probably not solely vacation divers: http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=119325