The prevalence of pulmonary oedema during scuba-diving is unknown. In our referral centre for diving accidents we have observed several episodes of pulmonary oedema in four previously healthy persons while scuba-diving or swimming. Four events were documented by physical findings, typical chest radiographic changes, and arterial hypoxaemia. Four additional episodes were identified in one of the...

We investigated long-term effects of SCUBA diving on cognitive function using a battery of neuropsychometric tests: the Simple Reaction Time (REA), Symbol Digit Substitution (SDS), Digit Span Backwards (DSB), and Hand-Eye Coordination tests (EYE). A group (n = 44) of experienced SCUBA divers with no history of decompression sickness was compared to non-diving control subjects (n = 37), as well ...

History of underwater diving dates back to antiquity. Breath-hold technique in diving was known to the ancient nations. However, deep diving progressed only in the early decades of the 19th century as the result of advancements in efficient underwater technologies which subsequently led to invention of sophisticated sets of scuba diving in the 20th century. Currently, diving is performed for va...

This study examines and extends the empirical evidence of the causal relationships among experience, personality and attitude on the behaviour of scuba divers. The empirical data were collected from divers (n 1⁄4 413) in the five most popular islands for scuba diving in Malaysia. Measurements of diving attitude, experience and underwater behaviour were developed based on the literature and expe...

OBJECTIVES To explore relationships between scuba diving activity, brain, and behaviour, and more specifically between global cerebral blood flow (CBF) or cognitive performance and total, annual, or last 6 months' frequencies, for standard dives or dives performed below 40 m, in cold water or warm sea geographical environments. METHODS A prospective cohort study was used to examine divers fro...

Recreational diving with self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (scuba) has grown in popularity. Asthma is a common disease with a similar prevalence in divers as in the general population. Due to theoretical concern about an increased risk for pulmonary barotrauma and decompression sickness in asthmatic divers, in the past the approach to asthmatic diver candidates was very conservative...

SCUBA diving has several risks associated with it from breathing air under pressure--nitrogen narcosis, barotrauma and decompression sickness (the bends). Trimix SCUBA diving involves regulating mixtures of nitrogen, oxygen and helium in an attempt to overcome the risks of narcosis and decompression sickness during deep dives, but introduces other potential hazards such as hypoxia and oxygen to...