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George, he is a NAUI instructor, in South Africa. He is happy to call himself a stroke and will not listen to reasoned argument regarding steel stages and back tanks combined with wetsuits, 80/20 mix, Christmas-tree gear rigging, personal preference- the list goes on. I have given up trying to talk to him, some men you just cant reach. It is a real pity that there are no GUE instructors in South Africa. George Irvine wrote: > Simon, it owuld help for the record if you would tell us who this was > and what agency they represented. The more we expose these guys the > sooner the insanity will have to stop. > > > > Simon Murray wrote: > > > > The fool In-stroke-tor who "trained" me told me that you dont know what you > > were talking about when it came to PFO's, I just gave him back his stroke > > gear and applied rules #1 and #2 with (as you would say) extreme prejudice. > > > > Once again, I see that you guys know what you are talking about and > > everybody else is just full of crap. > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: <kirvine@sa*.ne*> > > To: <techdiver@aquanaut.com> > > Sent: Monday, November 29, 1999 10:17 PM > > Subject: PFO Article on UPI > > > > > Scuba divers need heart test > > > 11/29/99 14:54 (New York) > > > > > > (UPI Focus) > > > Scuba divers need heart test > > > By ED SUSMAN= > > > UPI Science News= > > > CHICAGO, Nov. 29 (UPI) _ Doctors recommended Monday that before > > > scuba > > > divers receive certification they should undergo a heart examination for > > > a common abnormality. > > > German doctors found evidence of brain scars among scuba divers, > > > particularly those who have patent foramen ovale, a common and usually > > > harmless heart defect found in one of four people. > > > ``We feel testing for this heart condition with a special > > > ultrasound > > > examination should be included in the fitness-to-dive exam that people > > > take before being certified to scuba dive,'' said Dr. Michael Knauth, a > > > neuroradiologist at the University of Heidelberg Medical School. > > > In people who do not have the defect, Knauth explained, tiny air > > > bubbles that develop in the blood among divers are filtered harmlessly > > > out of the body. But when a person has patent foramen ovale, bubbles can > > > cross into the left chamber of the heart and can be pumped to the brain. > > > > > > The patent foramen ovale is a connection between the chambers of > > > the > > > heart. In most people it closes after birth, but even in people in whom > > > it doesn't close there is no particular problem, Knauth said, unless > > > people engage in activities such as scuba diving when pressure can > > > change conditions in the heart. > > > The bubbles that reach the brain can cause vertigo, memory > > > problems > > > or difficulty concentrating, he said. > > > Knauth and colleagues examined 24 divers who experienced such > > > symptoms, and compared them to fellow divers. Nineteen of the 24 divers > > > had a large patent foramen ovale compared with three of the 14 companion > > > divers without symptoms. Six of the divers with the defect also had > > > brain lesions _ abnormalities _ recorded by magnetic resonance imaging, > > > while none of their companions had identifiable brain lesions. > > > Knauth said scuba divers spend about $3,000 in certification fees > > > and > > > for diving equipment, so an additional $200 for the ultrasound test of > > > their hearts should not be considered a hardship. > > > If a diver knows that he has a patent foramen ovale, Knauth said > > > there are several ways they can minimize possible problems, including > > > eliminating yo-yo diving _ going up and down in the water during a dive; > > > staying underwater for shorter periods of time and extending the time > > > between dives. > > > ``It is unclear whether the brain lesions can cause long-term > > > problems, but common sense would tell you, if you have enough of them > > > and they're in the right places, they could cause problems,'' Knauth > > > said. > > > _- > > > Copyright 1999 by United Press International > > > All rights reserved > > > _- > > > > > > -0- Nov/29/1999 14:54 > > > > > > -- > > > Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'. > > > Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'. > -- Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'. Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.
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