open access

Vol 66, No 1 (2015)
Original article
Submitted: 2015-03-19
Accepted: 2015-03-19
Published online: 2015-03-19
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Theoretical tissue compartment inert gas pressures during a deep dive with and without deep decompression stops: a case analysis

Peter Buzzacott, Virginie Papadopoulou, Adrian Baddeley, Nadan M. Petri, Folke Lind
DOI: 10.5603/IMH.2015.0010
·
Pubmed: 25792166
·
IMH 2015;66(1):36-42.

open access

Vol 66, No 1 (2015)
HYPERBARIC MEDICINE Original article
Submitted: 2015-03-19
Accepted: 2015-03-19
Published online: 2015-03-19

Abstract

Background: Deep decompression stops are increasingly common in recreational technical diving. Concerns exist that they shift decompression stress back into slower tissues. A diver recorded an exceptional exposure dive, with deeps stops, on a commercially available dive computer.

Material and methods: Using the R package SCUBA tissue inert gas pressures in 17 Bühlmann (ZH-L16A) compartments were estimated from the dive computer recorded profile. The RGBM dive plan generated by the diver’s software was similarly interrogated, as was a third profile with reduced deep stops generated using the VPM-B/E model.

Results: In this dive the combination of 5 gas switches appeared to ameliorate the effect of deep stops from 76 m depth.

Conclusions: A higher-than-anticipated inert gas content in a decompression mixture, coupled with climbing 200 stairs post-decompression, appear possible risk factors for decompression sickness. Nonetheless, the physiological effect of deep decompression stops during exceptional exposure, even when diving with gas switches, remains urgently to be determined to improve safe decompression following exceptional exposures. Until algorithms utilising deep decompression stops are validated with human data, dive profiles incorporating deep decompression stops should be considered experimental.

Abstract

Background: Deep decompression stops are increasingly common in recreational technical diving. Concerns exist that they shift decompression stress back into slower tissues. A diver recorded an exceptional exposure dive, with deeps stops, on a commercially available dive computer.

Material and methods: Using the R package SCUBA tissue inert gas pressures in 17 Bühlmann (ZH-L16A) compartments were estimated from the dive computer recorded profile. The RGBM dive plan generated by the diver’s software was similarly interrogated, as was a third profile with reduced deep stops generated using the VPM-B/E model.

Results: In this dive the combination of 5 gas switches appeared to ameliorate the effect of deep stops from 76 m depth.

Conclusions: A higher-than-anticipated inert gas content in a decompression mixture, coupled with climbing 200 stairs post-decompression, appear possible risk factors for decompression sickness. Nonetheless, the physiological effect of deep decompression stops during exceptional exposure, even when diving with gas switches, remains urgently to be determined to improve safe decompression following exceptional exposures. Until algorithms utilising deep decompression stops are validated with human data, dive profiles incorporating deep decompression stops should be considered experimental.

Get Citation

Keywords

diving computer, decompression, deep diving, gas solubility, models, technical diving

About this article
Title

Theoretical tissue compartment inert gas pressures during a deep dive with and without deep decompression stops: a case analysis

Journal

International Maritime Health

Issue

Vol 66, No 1 (2015)

Article type

Original article

Pages

36-42

Published online

2015-03-19

Page views

2804

Article views/downloads

2841

DOI

10.5603/IMH.2015.0010

Pubmed

25792166

Bibliographic record

IMH 2015;66(1):36-42.

Keywords

diving computer
decompression
deep diving
gas solubility
models
technical diving

Authors

Peter Buzzacott
Virginie Papadopoulou
Adrian Baddeley
Nadan M. Petri
Folke Lind

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