Oxygen toxicity treatment

[Clare Gledhill]

Well said Nigel - Please remember to summon medical assistance asap - regardless of current state of casualty.

[zepp]

If you are diving with a CCR buddy at least make sure you know how to give them a Dil (diluent) flush. This action is the one that can help in both high and low oxygen (ppO2).
nb...under some circumstances a Dil flush in shallow water could make the diver become hypoxic, eg. a diluent of 10/53

[Janos]

If they are in the clonic or tonic phase (either rigid or spasmolytic) then don't lift them - they coudl well be holding their breath and Burst Lung = bulbbles in the arterial system = potential bubbles in the brain = Maximum Bad.

Lift them when they're loose and floppy and once you hit the surface get them on oxygen ASAP. And call the Coatguard.

Janos

[wreckweasel]

Originally Posted by Janos

call the Coatguard.

Posh twat, not only does he have a coat, now he has someone to watch it... these bloody surrey lot.. pah!

[wooflad]

Well after reading what Cedric Verdier had to say it brings it all home bith a bang. After doing my Nitrox course last year and reading about oxygen toxicity i never really understood what the ramifactions were of actually dealing with a toxic diver. I think its time to get some more training and try to understand what is actually required.
Excellent thread .

Cheers

Wooflad

[dry suit diver]

Taken straight out of the advanced Nitrox manual


page 47 Accident management 3rd Paragraph

the only diving accident when you should not administer Oxygen is if the diverhas suffered oxygen toxicity. in this situation the casualty should breathe air at normal atmospheric pressure

i understand that CNS toxicity is different from whole body toxicity.

As Janos pointed out do not lift in the tonic or clonic phase, wait and lift in the depressive stage. it states on page 19 paragraph4
however if a diver is developing CNS toxicity there really is no alternative to surfacing since it is better to convulse on the surface than underwater; this both reduces the possibility of drowning and risk to the resuer.

I know what thois means to me if it happens to a buddy- better bent than buried. i.e. i get them to the surface when safe.

If the tonic and clonic phasess repeat , as they can do and in no particular order, as i am doing a CBL the casualty is going to get a punch in the guts as this normally evacuates the lungs. 2 choices die if you dont , possibly die if you do. I know the choice I am making.