TASMANIA, Australia (5 Mar 2003) -- THE death of a recreational diver from the bends has prompted a stern warning from Tasmania's hyperbaric unit - stay out of the water unless you are properly trained. The 29-year-old Wynyard man, from the state's north-west, was diving with friends at Arthur River when he struck trouble late last month. His body was found floating on the surface of the water. In recent weeks, four other divers have been taken to the Hobart-based unit with serious decompression illnesses. One has lost the use of his legs. Another has a burst lung. Unit co-director Dr Margaret Walker described the recent spate of bends cases - including the man that died - as unprecedented. "It is really unusual to have so many in such a short period of time," she said. "... None of the four divers presenting to the hyperbaric unit for decompression treatment had had any training, and none appear to have been aware of the risks they were running. | | "One of the divers we had last week waited six days before he went to the doctor. "It is imperative that we get out the message that this is an inherently dangerous activity unless divers are properly trained. "We have had people bent in less than 10 metres of water." The bends occurs when divers surface too quickly, causing bubbles of nitrogen to form in body tissue. Symptoms can range from headache and tiredness through to breathing difficulty and loss of consciousness. Treatment in a hyperbaric chamber - more commonly used for patients with non-healing wounds - shrinks the nitrogen bubbles, which can form in key parts of the body and cause paralysis or death. SOURCE - ABC |
