stellahead Posted September 3, 2015 Share Posted September 3, 2015 Here's a head scratcher (pun intended) -- scuba diving post craniectomy. I'm talking about a small (2-by-3 cm) craniectomy. Does anyone know of a good scuba medicine resource or have their own theories on this topic? There's very little out there. Tried pubmed and uptodate. All ideas welcome... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acebecker Posted September 3, 2015 Share Posted September 3, 2015 sounds like a bad idea to me. check the undersea and hyperbaric medicine society website. they may have some resources. I operate a hyperbaric chamber and unless the benefit of the therapy vastly outweighed the risk, I would not put that patient into the chamber. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timon Posted September 3, 2015 Share Posted September 3, 2015 Check out Duke. I believe DAN (Diver's Alert Network) is based out of there as well. http://anesthesiology.duke.edu/?page_id=828766 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trigator Posted September 3, 2015 Share Posted September 3, 2015 Second the above. I'm a fairly advanced diver and wouldn't risk it. Most of the dive physics act on air filled compartments in the body, but there isn't really anyway to be certain that something more serious won't occur if there is an accident at depth. As a side note: depending on the condition the craniectomy was performed to treat, he may meet other criteria to not continue diving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acebecker Posted September 3, 2015 Share Posted September 3, 2015 At 50 feet of seawater you're experiencing 2.5 atmospheres of pressure... The skin overlying the skull is very thick, but the skull of course provides structural support. The area of the craniectomy would have to support 36.75 pounds per square inch of pressure... I'm not certain that the underlying brain parenchyma would like that very much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbrsmurf Posted September 3, 2015 Share Posted September 3, 2015 would it be silly to wear a helmet when scuba-ing i don't know if you guys can tell but i don't spend much time in the water Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator rev ronin Posted September 3, 2015 Administrator Share Posted September 3, 2015 I wouldn't sign off on it. I second calling DAN, if only for a local MD referral, as I doubt they will go on the record as giving a "sure, go ahead" as free medical advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acebecker Posted September 3, 2015 Share Posted September 3, 2015 would it be silly to wear a helmet when scuba-ing i don't know if you guys can tell but i don't spend much time in the water It wouldn't change the amount of pressure that the scalp bears underwater, or in theory shouldn't anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sk732 Posted September 3, 2015 Share Posted September 3, 2015 I'd look either at DAN or UHMS...as a Diving Medicine Tech with the military, I wouldn't sign off anyone like that and I doubt any of the Undersea Medical Consultants I worked with would either. $0.02 (Cdn) SK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted September 3, 2015 Moderator Share Posted September 3, 2015 hard hat diving in a big brass contraption like navy divers from the 60s! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acebecker Posted September 3, 2015 Share Posted September 3, 2015 hard hat diving in a big brass contraption like navy divers from the 60s! That would work!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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