DCS treatment on a plane??

[humdiver]

So lets just say some one doesnt listen to thier computer or figure thier tables correctly and they get on a plane say to hawaii
would the symptoms be the same as on the ground?
would they be immediate enough to turn the plane around or......
would treatment be the same?? could oxygen be used on the plane safely?
are airline personell trained to identify or treat dcs in flight??

had a horrible dream and will be visiting hawaii soon. Im a very careful diver but thats not always enough!

Jessica

 

[Snowbear]

Well, about all they could do for you in the air is give you O2. As long as you know that, whether or not they are trained in DCS treatment, the flight attendents should be able to comply with your request for the O's...

 

[Wildcard]

They won't turn a plane around for you for DCS most likely. Even life threating emergencies are seldom landed else where unless it's a long way to go. I think they have some sort of protocal about calling in for advice on diversions. Ask Big Jet Driver, he'd know for sure.

 

[teknitroxdiver]

If loss of life is imminent, the captain will almost always land at the closest suitable airport. If you are bent, the captain will have the call on whether or not to expediate the landing. Keep in mind on a Hawaii trip, you pretty much have only two options: continue to HI or return to your departure point. On an over-land flight odds are he would make the call to land quickly at a suitable airport, probably arranging for medical personell and equipment to be waiting on the plane.

 

[pasley]

I was on a flight form Los Angeles to Atlanta. A young man, estimated age 14-15 had a problem and passed out cold about 1/3 of the way or less into the flight. They streched him out on the galley floor. Everytime they tried to get him to sit up, out he went. The plane continued to Atlanta and landed with him laying on the galley floor. Conclusion, even if they are over land, they will not divert and land before the destination unless it is obviously a life threating emergency, and maybe not then.

Note, DCS can be a life threating emergency, but as there is no blood on the floor or apparent hear attack it would not be recognised as one by the average person, or even many doctors (in the emergency room they said "Decompression Illness, what's That?", "The Bends, What's that?" and stuffed me in a small room out of the way for 4 hours while they took care of serious cases, and they hyberbaric chamber called down repeatedly looking for me).

Just a passengers observation and not an expert on the subject.

 

[Dr Deco]

Hello humdiver:

As was stated by the other, I doubt that a plane would land for joint pain DCS (“the bends.”) When paralysis is concerned, I have heard about planes landing. One of the initial “Ask Dr Deco” inquiries came from a diver who was on a plane that made an unscheduled landing to allow her off to get treatment.

As is true in all cases of DCS, breathing oxygen is always of value.

Dr Deco :doctor:

 

[teknitroxdiver]

Conclusion, even if they are over land, they will not divert and land before the destination unless it is obviously a life threating emergency, and maybe not then.

Note, DCS can be a life threating emergency, but as there is no blood on the floor or apparent hear attack it would not be recognised as one by the average person, or even many doctors (in the emergency room they said "Decompression Illness, what's That?", "The Bends, What's that?" and stuffed me in a small room out of the way for 4 hours while they took care of serious cases, and they hyberbaric chamber called down repeatedly looking for me).

Just a passengers observation and not an expert on the subject.

If someone is about to die, the plane WILL land as soon as possible. The choice between keeping the flight on time and saving someones life is obvious. If a pilot were to make the decision to bypass a suitable airport and continue to his destination while there was a person dying on board, he would face a lawsuit from the victim's survivors, and probable loss of his job.

If someone stuffed you in a small room off to the side and forgot about you, why didn't you say something? It's YOUR LIFE, or YOUR ABILITY TO WALK OR TALK, that is at stake when your sitting in a chair twiddling your thumbs while your blood bubbles and your cappillaries get blocked up. I have no doubts in my mind that I would not be sitting off to the side for 4 hours. Granted, your case was probably mild, but still, it only takes ONE bubble to permenantly disable you.

It's your life, speak up.

 

[Wildcard]

I read about a plane a while back that found out that a dog might have been placed in the cargo compartment that wasn't heated. The pilot asked if it was OK to land and check even though it would make the flight late. Every one said yes and they landed. The dog WAS in the cold part but still alive. He flew the rest of the flight in first class with the owner....Kind of off topic but I thought Id share that with y'all.

 

[BigJetDriver]

Conclusion, even if they are over land, they will not divert and land before the destination unless it is obviously a life threating emergency, and maybe not then.

Note, DCS can be a life threating emergency, but as there is no blood on the floor or apparent hear attack it would not be recognised as one by the average person, or even many doctors (in the emergency room they said "Decompression Illness, what's That?", "The Bends, What's that?" and stuffed me in a small room out of the way for 4 hours while they took care of serious cases, and their hyberbaric chamber called down repeatedly looking for me).

Okay, folks, here's the drill, as we say in the trade.

(1) The Captain does not make the call on whether or not the aircraft diverts, initially. The crew calls Med-link. They advise the crew on treatment (limited), and recommend a return or divert.

The Captain then looks at the flight situation, and the fllight deck crew decides which is a better plan, i.e. divert, return, or press on. Trust me, folks, on this one. We will do everything in our power to get you to a place where a medical team can get you into the system.

(2) Melvin is, unfortunately, quite right about the second part. I AM a trained and certified Diver Medic Technician (sort of a paramedic plus some) and I can tell you that if you are bent, get yourself directly into the hands of the chamber folks, even if you have to go to fist city with the ambulance folks. If you wind up in the ER, 90% of the time, they won't know what to do with you, and they will probably misdiagnose you.

I don't mean to scare you, but it is the simple truth.

Rob Davie

 

[Wildcard]

I knew you would pop up with the right answer. Thanks. Just wondering where you came up with the "paramedic plus" at? DMT is a week last time I checked, most Paramedic programs are two year degree programs.....BTW standard protocal everywhere I worked as a medic for the last twenty years is straight to the nearest chamber if someone tells you they have DCS.