Mailing List Archive

Mailing List: techdiver

Message Display

At 11:56 AM 4/6/99 +0000, Ken Sallot wrote:

Hello Ken,

>Please provide the scientific proof for point #2.
>
>Not that I'm a disbeliever (I do believe helium deco's a lot better),
>but I want to see your "proof" that it works, just like you want to see
>Trout's "proof" that deep stops limit DCS.
>
>> 2. It has a negative effect on your physiology.  Red blood
>> cells, for example, are deformed which hinders their
>> passage through your capillaries including the ones in
>> your lungs... the ones that allow you to decompress.

Point well taken.  Perhaps I should rephrase to say that
deep-air SEEMS to have a negative effect on your physiology
and SEEMS to deform red blood cells.  The evidence I've
been able to find so far is anecdotal.

Additional anecdotal evidence is that I used to feel
terrible after deep-air dives (which I don't do any more,
so please don't lecture me) and I feel good after (most)
trimix dives.

However, if it turns out to be demonstrably true that
hyperbaric air deforms red blood cells, the negative effects
of THAT are well documented in the medical literature.  Sickle
Cell Anemia is a disease caused by red blood cell deformation,
for example.  See Han and Holmstedt - "Human Microscopic
Anatomy" for more.  There are other references, but I don't
have time to look for them right now.

-Mike Rodriguez
<mikey@ma*.co*>

--
Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'.
Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.

Navigate by Author: [Previous] [Next] [Author Search Index]
Navigate by Subject: [Previous] [Next] [Subject Search Index]

[Send Reply] [Send Message with New Topic]

[Search Selection] [Mailing List Home] [Home]