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On Thu, 22 Dec 1994, Terry McCracken wrote:

> Hi Folks
> 	After following this thread for a while I have a question. If you are
> correctly(sic) set up for OWR with a FFM etc and you are down as a tender. If
> the diver under treatment does go into convulsions due to O2 tox what is the
> correct procedure? Someone mentioned that you should never bring a convulsing
> diver to the surface due to the risk of embolism, if you do not have the
> ability to switch the gas that the diver is breathing, will the convulsions
> continue while the diver is under pressure and breathing O2? Does this mean
> that you must have the ability to switch gasses before considering IWR.

The rig I have for this purpose has a manifold that allows gas-switching
by turning a valve.  The O2 is supplied from the surface, and the air is
provided by a pony bottle which the diver wears.

> P.S. has someone done the calculations for the AusIWR table for the aprox
> number of cu ft of O2 that would be required to complete the treatment.(I
> know I am being lazy but my brain has shut down for the holidays). 

It's been calculated & published somewhere.  If I'm less lazy than you
(unlikely), I'll look it up & post it.

> If you
> were to consider the use of an O2 rebreather for the treatment, how often
> would you have to flush the loop?

Helluva good question.  I sent Rod Farb a message outlining this and
related problems of rebreathers (Did you get it Rod? Any comments?).
Basically, it depends on the total volume of nitrogen dissolved in the
blood (which, in turn, depends on exposure & body size/composition) and
the total volume of the rebreather loop.  I'd suggest a partial flush
every 15 minutes or so.  When I get the chance, I hope to do some
experiments to get some real numbers on this.

Aloha,
Rich
deepreef@bi*.bi*.ha*.or*

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