Mailing List Archive Mailing List Archive
Sent on behalf of Dean Horvat. BR Matej > There are some missing facts in Mr. JT's report, such as the diver's age, > physical condition, pre-existing medical condition(s), physical activities > prior to and during the dive, dive conditions (esp. cold & currents) and > breathing mixtures (if any). However, having examined the existing facts of > the dive, oxtox diagnosed by the attending MD is a far guess. > In my opinion, the resulting condition, though symptomatically simmilar to > oxtox, was a manifestation of exercise-induced hypoglycemia (low blood > sugar). There is a fact in favour of this theory: the affected diver had > actually had enough time to percieve the condition, swim to his buddy and > signal that something was wrong before the seizure took place. The onset of > acute oxygen toxicity, on the other hand, usually does not allow enough time > for the diver to react in order to avoid a seizure (the well known ?VENTID? > oxtox signs/symptoms were actually collected post-festum by surviving > affected or monitored in controlled environment). > Nevertheless, oxygen plays an important role in this episode: higher than > normal ppO2 actually accelerated aerobic metabolism of the diver thus > burning his low blood sugar even faster, resulting seizure some time after > the metabolical switch from liver glycogene glycolysis (short-term energy > store) changed to glycolysis from beta-oxidation of fatty accids (long-term > energy store). Time margin, critical for this metabolic switch in which > metabolic processes of beta-oxydation of fatty acids start well before liver > sugar is completely exhausted, was in this case too short due to accelerated > oxydation by higher than normal ppO2. Simply put: diver's body did not have > enough time to properly accomodate and meet metabolical demands because of > increased ?burning?. > There may also be some other pre-existing medical conditions that could lead > to such an outcome: the diver should consider a medical examination on > diabetes and epilepsy. > > Advice for further diving: > 1. proper hydration before, (during on long dives) and after a dive. > 2. sufficient intake of fruit sugars in a form of different fruits (esp. > apples, bananas, grapefruit and pineapples) and honey > 3. limit physical activity, pay attention to proper breathing > 4. proper physical condition for the dive > 5. lower ppO2 in breathing mixtures > 6. military: never use CO2 for dry-suit inflation/thermal protection. Ar is > a gas of chioce. > 7. wear full face mask - flush regularly > > Safe diving, > > Dean Horvat. > > __________________________________________ > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Matej Simonic / Testing LTD <mail@te*.si*> > To: <norik-sub-l@am*.si*> > Sent: Tuesday, July 17, 2001 7:21 AM > Subject: Fw: The Seizure > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Capt JT" <captjt@mi*.co*> > > To: <vbtech@ci*.co*> > > Cc: <techdiver@aquanaut.com>; <FLTechDiver@mikey.net> > > Sent: Monday, July 16, 2001 11:11 PM > > Subject: The Seizure > > > > > > > I will write a regular trip report in a couple of days, but think > everyone > > > would be interested in this now... > > > > > > The Seizure: > > > > > > The diver had made their previous dive some 24 hrs before and prepared > for > > > the last dive of the trip along with 2 divers that would accompany them. > > > The divers had only intended to stay 15 min to 220ft, the 2 other > divers > > > had made dives that morning and were making conservative second dives. > > > > > > The dive went as planned, 16 mins BT had been done and the diver elected > > to > > > dive 20 min tables, all 3 ran exact profiles. All divers were on board > but > > > 4 when I went over to unshackle and make a breakable tie in to remove > our > > > mooring. I saw the diver who was decoing on our hang bar at 20ft and > they > > > looked fine. I took a minute to relax on the hang bar before I descended > > > and everything looked fine. > > > > > > The following events were told to me as I was not back on board until 20 > > > mins after I went down. > > > The diver realizing something moved over to the buddy and signaled > > > something was wrong, the buddy not knowing what was wrong asked if they > > > wanted to go up. The buddy also knew that they were diving 20min tables > > for > > > a 16 min BT and had already done 18 min of the 20 min required stop at > > > 20ft. The diver should be clean enough to surface. > > > > > > A normal ascent was made by the 2 divers from 20ft only the buddy had > put > > > himself in the face to face position. At 5ft the diver seized and the > reg > > > came out of their mouth. Bubbles exited the divers mouth during the > > > remainder of the ascent and once on the surface a call for help was made > > by > > > the buddy, another diver jumped in and the victims head was raised out > of > > > the water, the body was in a complete convulse and the arms were so > stiff > > > they could not be bent to remove the gear and the harness was then cut. > > The > > > diver was pulled from the water, within a minute of being out of the > water > > > the seizure stopped and the victim puked, lips were blue and color had > > gone > > > from the face during the seizure, with in seconds those things returned > to > > > normal after the seizure. The drysuit was removed, the victim was > unaware > > > of what had happen and was disoriented, 02 was administered. The Capt > went > > > and made a call to the USCG. > > > > > > The victim was moved to the cabin until it could be determined the next > > > course of action, I at this time was boarding the boat sensing something > > > was wrong and quickly assumed the rule of carrying information between > the > > > radio and the victim, Rick Atkins took control of care for the victim. > The > > > victim was now in full control of all their faculties and was stating > > > nothing was wrong, in due time they would admit to a tightness in the > > > chest. I was concerned if there had been any aspiration of SW, a > condition > > > I have seen in the past that can result in more complications. > > > > > > The diver was transferred to a ship that had a trained medical staff and > a > > > more suitable platform for an airlift if that was necessary. The USCG > > > flight surgeon agreed to the transfer and contacted "DAN" as another > > source > > > of information, once on the ship ( in which they walked/ climbed over > the > > > rail on their own power) Dan ask the medical staff to perform a > > > neurological test which the victim showed no negative signs to. The > > medical > > > staff, Dan, and the USCG saw no need to airlift the victim and > > arrangements > > > were made to pick up the diver when the ship came to port. > > > > > > When we arrived at the dock, Rick, Pete, and myself chose to drive and > > pick > > > up the diver. Once there and the ship became moored up, we found that > the > > > ships staff would transfer care of the victim to the local hospital that > > > had a hyperbaric chamber. When we arrived there was a bit of confusion > as > > > to where the victim was, having found the victim on our own we were > asked > > > to consult with the attending physician. > > > > > > The physician I felt was grasping at poor conclusions and we had seen > him > > > consulting the hyperbaric manual and at one point made a different > opinion > > > on the condition of the victim. He finally made the decision to do a > table > > > 6 as a precaution, the victim exited the chamber no different from when > > > they entered. Exactly 24 hrs after it happen we stopped to eat at > > McDonalds. > > > > > > I have a hard time buying that it was an oxtox, the diver never did > > > anything wrong and was well with in the limits for such an event to > > happen. > > > I leave it up to those on this list and the lurkers to help solve this, > I > > > will answer any questions that are reasonable. > > > > > > JT > > > > > > Personally I would like to thank everyone on board who did a superb job > > > during a very stressful event and for once the buddy system really paid > > > off..... > > > > > > > > > > > > "You can't learn to dive on the net, sooner or later you have to get in > > the > > > water" > > > Your Guide to Great Wreck Diving along the East Coast & more > > > Web Site http://www.capt-jt.com/ > > > Email captjt@mi*.co* > > > > > > > > > -- > > > Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'. > > > Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'. > > > > __________________________________________________________ > > Prijave/odjave na http://www.norik-sub.si > -- 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]