DIVING

2. Dive Injuries
Table 2.2-3 (cont.) Body part affected by scuba-related injury 2010-13 (N.B. weighted estimate)
Body Part
NEISS Body Part
Code
N (%)
Neck 89 0 (0)
Pubic region 38 0 (0)
Shoulder (including clavicle, collarbone) 30 111 (3)
Toe 93 0 (0)
Trunk, lower 79 63 (1)
Trunk, upper (not including shoulders) 31 405 (9)
Wrist 34 0 (0)
25-50% of body 84 0 (0)
All parts of body (more than 50% of body) 85 649 (15)
Not recorded 87 0 (0)
Total 4368 (100)
Of the 649 estimated cases with injuries affecting at least 50% of their body, Table 2.2-4 shows the type of injury suffered.
Not unexpectedly, drowning or decompression sickness were the most common. The small numbers in the other
categories represent a single actual emergency department admission in each category. All of the cell values in this
table are so low that the actual prevalence of each injury cannot be estimated but, as mentioned before, they do suggest
which types of injuries are suffered each year by divers.
Table 2.2-4 Code 85: All parts of the body (more than 50% of body) affected by scuba-related injury 2010-13
Diagnosis (Body Part 85) NEISS Diagnosis Code N (%)
Decompression sickness 71 276
Submersion (including drowning) 69 187 (4)
Diving Accident/Illness 71 48
Shortness of Breath 71 47
BPV 71 17
Hyperbaric 71 16
MI 71 15
Stroke / Air Embolism 71 15
Vertigo 71 14
Electric Shock 67 14
Total - 649
Table 2.2-5 shows the diagnosis made for each case and the weighted estimate of possible cases in the US during
2010-2013. Classification code 71, “Other/Not stated” was by far the most common. Table 2.2-6 then further clarifies
these code 71 cases.
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Annual Diving Report – 2012-2015 Edition