Accident Off Of Catalina

[webhead]

After an initial descent to 30', with a planned pause to switch to 1.3, the diver experienced a feeling of shortness of breath at roughly 90', and switched to OC bailout.

That sounds odd.... switching to high setpoint during the descent.

Condolences to the family.

 

[mkutyna]

Condolences? Did the diver end up dying?

And jepuskar, what bug crawled up your butt? I've only been on this board for a few months and I already realize that the first few days after an incident will always have very speculative posts about what actually happened. Usually things get ironed out but it's nothing to get so worked up over.

 

[ce4jesus]

Whew. Sorry about the delay.

I'm very sorry that HIPPA prevents me from discussing the medical details. I, too, am a diver, and I also learn from the mistakes of others.

The single dive was a checkout dive for two other RB divers. After an initial descent to 30', with a planned pause to switch to 1.3, the diver experienced a feeling of shortness of breath at roughly 90', and switched to OC bailout. The feeling of shortness of breath continued, and after calmly indicating that the two other divers should buddy up and continue, he ascended with a BT of 10 minutes. Ascent rate (from the dive computer) was approximately 90 fpm. The diver signaled distress, and the safety diver swam out to him and gave him an assist back to the boat, where he climbed out on his own power and no longer had any symptoms. He spent the next hour on the boat checking the Meg, none found. Other RB divers also checked out the unit and found it to be perfect.

Of course it's all relative, but 90' for 10 minutes is not an excessive exposure by most standards, especially with a RB, and certainly incurred no deco obligation. 90 fpm is quick, but not unmanageable for an experienced diver, and we all have had portions of an ascent at this rate sometime.

There is some discussion that this dive, with its high ppO2, was beneficial for the patient.

In any case, the malady affecting this diver was found to be preexisting and simply ran its course during the time frame of the dive trip. It was not exacerbated by the single dive. Again, kudos to the crew for the way they handled the emergency.

I'm sorry I can't provide more details, but when I can, I will.


All the best, James

James,
To be accurate HIPPA only prevents you from associating a patient name with the condition. IE..I can walk by a remote monitor in a hospital and see that a person is in terrible condition by their associated medical readouts. Hospitals can post these things in common areas for staff use but cross the line by associating a name with the condition.

 

[DCLESCERI]

Condolences? Did the diver end up dying?

And jepuskar, what bug crawled up your butt? I've only been on this board for a few months and I already realize that the first few days after an incident will always have very speculative posts about what actually happened. Usually things get ironed out but it's nothing to get so worked up over.

My thoughts exactly mkutyna. if jepuskar actually read the post and not the title he would see that I stated that we heard the coast guard called it a rebreather accident.

fdog, have you heard anything about the divers condition and or what problems occured during his dive, other than shortness of breath?

 

[fdog]

<snip>fdog, have you heard anything about the divers condition and or what problems occured during his dive, other than shortness of breath?

The diver's condition is improving. I have posted everything that occured on the dive, although I might have missed clearing the ears.

I would like to reiterate that this gentleman would have ended up in the hospital even if he hadn't gotten in the water. The dive is incidental. Delving into this single dive is like me quizzing you incessantly over the last easy dive you made, looking for what went wrong, when nothing did.


All the best, James

 

[Charlie99]

Fdog -- is it likely that his medical problem account for the shortness of breath that caused him to abort the dive on Saturday?

 

[DandyDon]

Fdog -- is it likely that his medical problem account for the shortness of breath that caused him to abort the dive on Saturday?

Does it matter? It was not a dive accident. I do not see anything to be learned here...????

 

[fdog]

Fdog -- is it likely that his medical problem account for the shortness of breath that caused him to abort the dive on Saturday?

Yes. That would be a correct assumption.

I really, really comprehend the need to understand a diving incident lest it happen to us, I am the same way. Here, though, it's not a diving incident, and I'm not trying to hide anything (okay, well, yes I am, his medical condition, but that's to protect patient confidentiality). Everything about the dive that he did in the middle of the progression of his problem is an open book, however.

This was originally placed on the radio as a RB accident, and unfortunately, that perception has stuck.

I know and understand the thirst for information, I am doing my best to serve both the needs of my good friend, and my friends here in the community.

All the best, James

 

[diver 85]

James, my best wishes for him and his family, but another poster said: "He came up way too fast from a long deep dive and showed problems almost immediately on Saturday." Would you like to clarify what did happen? This forum exists so we can learn from others.

DD, I missed who said your quote, can you advise me who did????.....TIA.......


EDIT, never mind, I see in post #12 & #13 it was stated what happened(to some of the posts)........Thanks all, hope everything turns out OK........

 

[SparticleBrane]

Since this has been ruled as "not a diving accident", I vote we close the thread.