Report on Decompression Illness, Diving Fatalities - Divers Alert ...

Figure 91 is an example of a cold-water wreck dive profile thatresulted in treatment for DCS. This is a dive profile from a 28-yearoldmale diver (6’2", 141 lbs. / 185 cm, 64 kg) who was first certifiedin 1998 and had 82 logged dives. He had chronic back pain andreported symptoms of “the flu” before the dive. He was taking antimalarial,antidiarrheal and pain relief medications and decongestants.The last dive series consisted of six nitrox dives over threedays. Figure 94 shows the profiles from his last day of diving. Hedeveloped joint pain three hours after his last dive. He was evacuatedby the Coast Guard and treated within two hours after theonset of his symptoms. He reported complete relief after a U.S.Navy Treatment Table 6.Depth (fsw)0-20-40-60-80Time (min)-20 80 180 280380Fig 91Profile ofcold-water wreckdive causing DCS.-100-120Figure 92 is an example of a series of dive profiles from a Cozumeldiving professional that resulted in treatment for DCS. This profileis from a 26-year-old male (5’8", 141 lbs. / 170 cm, 64 kg) diveinstructor who had made more than 3,000 dives in the past fiveyears. In his last dive series he made 14 dives over a six-day period.The maximum depth of the series was 97 feet (29 meters) and themaximum depth of the last dive was 67 feet (21 meters). He divedon scuba while breathing air. Approximately six hours after his lastdive, he developed pain in his left shoulder and tingling in hisupper left arm. He was treated 12 hours after the last dive two timeson a U.S. Navy Treatment Table 6 and a U.S. Navy Treatment Table5 and had complete relief.Depth (fsw)Time (hours)0 24 48 72 960-20-40-60-80Fig 92Profile ofa day-boat diveprofessional divecausing DCS.-100-120DAN’s <strong>Report</strong> on Decompression Illness, Diving Fatalities and Project Dive Exploration: 2003 Edition 87