Partial diaphragm paralysis: Is SCUBA possible?

[violamama]

Not sure if this is the right place to post this. I have a question about my father in law who I'll call "Dr. W".

He has some spinal nerve damage that lead to a couple of issues including "drop foot" neuropathy and the right side of his diaphragm is immobile. His right lung basically does not function.

Dr. W is an Oncologist and Hematologist, so you may include medical jargon in any answers here and I'll forward them along.

As a history buff, he is very interested in diving in order to see wrecks. We go to the Keys fairly often and there are some relatively shallow sites there he would like to see.

Do you think this is possible?

Are there provisions/contingencies to consider?

My husband and I are OW and Nitrox newbies and plan on getting AOW and rescue diver certs. I don't think Dr. W would go out with anybody less than an instructor, though. The one we've worked with in the Keys is a rescue diver retired commercial diver who we would pay to come along and buddy with Dr. W.

So, advice? Thoughts? Articles/books we should read?

Thanks!

 

[oly5050user]

No one here can say it is a good idea. Contact Diver Alert Network and they may be able to assist you. Personally I do not feel it is a good idea.

 

[Subcooled]

I do not know how having one lung only affects the ability to swim etc. Consult a (hyperbaric) doctor. Actually, write to "Divers alert network". Waves, currents etc. may cause extra stress. I would guess that yes, diving is possible, to a certain depth, but maybe not diving against high current etc. At greater depth the breathing resistance increases a bit. A Poseidon Xtream would give nice air pressure. I am not an expert in this field, and following my advice may lead to death

 

[violamama]

Thank you! I'll let him know to check for undersea/hyperbaric docs and give him the contact info for DAN.
I agree- I think he could do it, but it would be a higher risk and would require gentle conditions. We could help him swim, but the breathing is a question for a specialist and then perhaps a pool session.

 

[TSandM]

If there is no obstruction to the lung, air compression and expansion shouldn't be an issue. However, people with chronic diaphragmatic paralysis have a degree of collapse of the bottom of the affected lung, and that raises some questions about whether air CAN get into the affected portion, and whether it can get out . . . It would make me nervous.

The other issue is exercise tolerance, and whether he has enough pulmonary reserve to tolerate exertion if he needed to swim against current or swim up after a buoyancy failure.

We don't have enough information to answer this question here, but it is certainly not a clearcut approval.

 

[violamama]

Thanks, TSandM. I was thinking if he has my husband and I there, and an instructor hired to focus only on him, the swimming part could be mitigated. We would plan and practice assisting him.

I didn't know about the degree of collapse issue. If air somehow got in but then not out... that would be bad. Wild. He's a very thorough person, and I'm sure if he decides to pursue this he will do all he can to be sure it's safe. He just emailed me today about scheduling a longer family vacation soon so we can develop our beginner skillz.

Thanks for the input. I'll pass along the info & concern.

 

[tedshark]

My scuba instructor had a collapsed lung, that never stopped him, and He's probably still diving, this was in 1992.

 

[peej]

I have the same condition. I've tried to dive 3 time unsuccessfully since my right hemi diaphragm packed in. I don't recommend it. I aborted at 6m, 7m and 8m. I would usually dive to 50m. The problem I've experienced is paradoxical breathing as, under pressure, my left diaphragm pulls down extra hard and pulls my right diaphragm up! Hence, no change in chest capacity and no air is dragged in, I feel like I'm breathing but no air is going in. If you fin the oxygen you do have is used very quickly and the need to get oxygen in is screamingly desperate, even ascending to shallower depth does not help and it takes a while to recover on the surface. Diving is a huge part of my life, or was, but I'm not trying it again till my chest X-rays and lung function tests prove my diaphragm is working. A simple test is to stand in a swimming pool then submerge to his neck - does he find it harder to breathe with some (minimal) water pressure - if so, I wouldn't risk it. However, if you are successful please let me know what you did. I'm praying for spontaneous recovery (it's been 2.5 years now). Good luck

 

[TSandM]

Peej, I have to say that your symptoms confuse me greatly. The essence of a scuba regulator is that the gas is supplied at ambient pressure (quite different from your example of standing immersed, with the head out of the water). The work of breathing with a properly tuned regulator is very little more than normal breathing. Perhaps your regulator is poorly tuned, and you are really having to suck hard to get air out of it?