Diving with an internal defibrillator?

[beaverdivers]

I long time dive buddy had an internal defibrillator ( ID ) put in last year. Now he would like to dive again.

Does anyone dive with one or know of anyone able to dive with an ID?

 

[TSandM]

Given that a AICD is only implanted in people who either have had, or are at high risk for having a life-threatening dysrhythmia, I think it would be difficult to find any physician who would clear someone like that to dive. I certainly would not.

 

[Wookie]

As TS&M said, this is between your buddy and his cardiologist, many of whom are divers. I know we would ask him if he had any contraindications to diving, and if so, he would need a specifically worded release from his doctor for diving. We aren't doctors and we don't determine what are contraindications to diving, and with HIPAA laws, we aren't interested in what someone's particular contraindications are.

I know none of this helps you with your direct question, but I would advise your buddy, especially if he is a client also, to take the question up with his cardiologist rather than asking on a chat board.

 

[beaverdivers]

I know none of this helps you with your direct question, but I would advise your buddy, especially if he is a client also, to take the question up with his cardiologist rather than asking on a chat board.

He has been consulting his doctor, cardiologist, DAN & the manufacture of the device. I thought Scubaboard might provide some valuable input.

 

[Wookie]

I thought Scubaboard might provide some valuable input.

Or at least a lot of opinions from laymen.....

 

[boulderjohn]

I am going to move this thread to the Diving Medicine forum. TSandM as a physician is a good resource, but I will also contact Doug Ebersole for his comments. He is a cardiologist.

 

[Dr. Doug Ebersole]

The vast majority of people with defibrillators are not fit for diving, not because of the defibrillator itself but because of the underlying cardiac condition that led to the defibrillator in the first place. Most often, these patients have a combination of a very weakened heart muscle and/or life threatening rhythm problems -- both of which are contraindications for diving. There is the rare individual who has a defibrillator for other reasons who could be found to fit to dive with the device, but this is the exception not the rule. In that regard, the issue is the pressure tolerance of the device and how it may or may not malfunction under pressure. Your friend should ask DAN for a referral to a cardiologist in his area with a knowledge of diving medicine so that these issues can be addressed adequately.

 

[bvanant]

I am quite sure that there is no physics driven reason that an ICD would be pressure sensitive at least at normal recreational depth, but I would be very worried about a discharge at depth. I know there are folk who dive with ICDs but I suspect that all of the ICD makers would probably label against it.
Bill

 

[Dr. Doug Ebersole]

It's not the discharge at depth that would be of concern -- assuming it doesn't cause panic in the diver. The issue would be that the device usually discharges because of sustained ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation, both of which can result in unconsciousness prior to device discharging. Unconsciousness underwater is the issue as it usually results in drowning. Like I mentioned before, it's not the device that is the problem. It's the condition that caused the need for an ICD that is the problem.

 

[bvanant]

I wasn't being clear, what I meant to say is "if you needed a shock at depth" then probably something bad happened to cause the shock.
Bill