The Iceni
Medical Moderator
Ronmedic once bubbled...
The local Paramedics are well trained in the performance of needle Thoracostomy in the cases of tension pneumothorax that is hemodynamically unstable.
Someone knows what is important!
If Type 1 DCS is involved in a significant manner the circulation throughout the body becomes restricted by the expansion of nitrogen bubbles in the bloodstream and the heart. I have seen many cases during recompression therapy that literally the heart will develop something similar to vapor lock in the ventricles from expansion and accumulation of nitrogen bubbles, effectively making recompression nearly impossible in a local chamber.
Ronmedic,former US Navy Corpsman:doctor:
If only! I know all US paramedics have much more stringent training than their British equivalents - six weeks of paramedic school and then on-the-job training - so it does not surprise me that this can be included in your courses. My past includes being the medical officer of a parachute regiment battalion. As a former military man , you clearly appreciate the importance of early resuscitation and the inevitable delays whenever a diver (or soldier) is injured. There will of course be occassions when even instant treatment is unhelpful and the cases you quote are examples of that, but even the most highly qualified attendant must assess the casualty's condition with the information at hand and PB is not always associated with arterial gas embolism - at least in the early stages - which is when needle thoracostomy will be very effective, much like intravenous glucose in hypoglycaemic coma. Surely it is worth trying? :boom:
By the way Ron, do you not mean the more serious type II DCI?