"Undeserved" DCI

[ellis704]

Reading the comments has been fascinating, I think he will be tested for PFO since he really wants to understand what happened (and wants to maek sure it never happens again).

Here are the dive times from the computer.
1^st dive / 22 march 2012 / 36 minutes bottom time / 21 metres depth / safety stop 3 minutes @ 5 metres
Surface Interval 55 minutes
2^nd dive / 22 march 2012 / 38 minutes bottom time / 18 metres depth / safety stop 3 minutes @ 5 metres

from the DM - this data however gives only the max depths, and bottom time indicates time at depth until starting to surface/ascending, not total times in the water/submerged. It’s the important data, as during ascent the offgasing already starts. Ascent speed was apropriate, not faster then 18mts/60ft per minute, according to our report.

---------- Post added April 9th, 2012 at 02:23 PM ----------

1^st dive / 22 march 2012 / 36 minutes bottom time / 21 metres depth / safety stop 3 minutes @ 5 metres
Surface Interval 55 minutes
2^nd dive / 22 march 2012 / 38 minutes bottom time / 18 metres depth / safety stop 3 minutes @ 5 metres

this data however gives only the max depths, and bottom time indicates time at depth until starting to surface/ascending, not total times in the water/submerged. It’s the important data, as during ascent the offgasing already starts. Ascent speed was apropriate, not faster then 18mts/60ft per minute, according to our report.

 

[flots am]

Reading the comments has been fascinating, I think he will be tested for PFO since he really wants to understand what happened (and wants to maek sure it never happens again).

Even though the required decompression is small, it's outside the limits for a no deco dive on vPlanner.

Also, according to the tiny-hard-to-read SSI tables in my phone, which I may be misreading, the first dive was right up to the edge, and the second dive was right off the end of the table, showing up clearly as a deco dive. I beleive it said that the second dive had a maximum of BT of something like 6 or 8 minutes.

flots.

 

[gkwalt]

First of all... Dr.Bove has forgotten more about DCS than I would ever hope to know and I wouldn't dare to challenge him!! But it seems to me that when the DCS rates are quoted, it is for all comers not just "unexpected hits". The divers that seem to be encouraged to get tested are the unexpected hits. How many "not surprising" hits get tested? I had a perilymph fistula years ago and have been encouraged by many experts not to dive again. The rational being it could affect my other ear. I have researched this subject extensively and have found no evidence that I am at increased risk with my "good ear" and continue to dive without issues.
However, when a diver plays by the NDL rules and experiences DCS with a conservative profile and is found to have a PFO, there is likely a cause and effect. My opinion is that there shouldn't be a big question mark as to whether to repair the PFO or not. I think the question really should be, "No repair if you give up diving, or get it fixed if you want to dive". Suggesting that divers with PFO continue diving, but only with a very conservative profile is even more of a roll of the dice than suggesting I should not dive because of my ear injury.
Iin reality, I think many of us know that because of some health issue, maybe we should stop diving. But because diving is something we absolutely can't give up, we roll the dice and keep diving!!