Date / Time
 
Main Menu
· Home
· Committee Contact Us
» Scuba Dive Courses
· Beginner Scuba Diver
· Scuba Certification Courses
· Non-Certification Courses
· Specialty Diving Courses
· NAUI Accreditation
· Membership Fees
· Equipment Hire
· Sign Our Guestbook
FIND US ON FACEBOOK
Forthcoming Events
19 September
Scuba Sunday

22 September
Spring Splash

31 October
Scuba Sunday
Other News
IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTICE! NEMO AIR QUICK CONNECTOR RECALL
Mass stranding of false killer whales in Kommetjie
Call for members to join Environmental Sub-Committee
Safe_Diving by Dr A Kayle ( New Release)
John Christie - Gear for Sale!
DIVE MEDICAL SERVICES CLOSURE -SODWANA
ICE - In Case of Emergency
Shared Viz in Sodwana December 2008
Sea Sheperd News
Sisters with blisters
Welcome
Username:

Password:




Remember me

[ Signup ]
[ Forgot password? ]
[ Resend Activation Email ]
Saltwater Aspiration Syndrome
by Steven Hartman on Saturday 04 October 2008 - 06:52:59

You've just gotten home from a dive and you're feeling rotten. You ache all over, are so
tired you can hardly hold your head up and you have a low grade fever, nausea, headache
or shivering. You might even have some shortness of breath and a productive cough. You
wonder if you might not have decompression symptoms.
Well, it might not be bronchitis or pneumonia from some creepie-crawlies in your regulator,
but most likely salt water in your lungs that's to blame. First described by Dr.Carl
Edmonds, this flu-like condition and short-term respiratory distress in divers occurs when
even small amounts of micronized saltwater mist is inhaled into the lungs. Although not
well-recognized, it's called saltwater aspiration syndrome and it can be avoided by taking
several actions.

Treatment

Interpolation of management would be similar to that given mildly affected cases of near-
drowning. Most individuals are not this severely affected and never seek medical care.
Others continue with severe cough and bronchospasm and require assistance. Patients
with minimal symptoms (eg, coughing) and normal oxygen saturation should be observed
for 24 hours; nearly all recover spontaneously within a few hours. In saltwater drownings
and saltwater "wet" near-drownings (those that involve aspiration), the hypertonicity of the
aspirated fluid draws intravascular fluid into the already fluid-filled alveoli, resulting in
ventilation-perfusion abnormalities and intrapulmonary shunting. Intravascular
hypovolemia, hemoconcentration, and electrolyte abnormalities can result, although this is
not usually seen clinically in near-drowning survivors because they rarely aspirate enough
water to produce these effects. It is doubtful that there is enough volume aspirated through
a regulator to cause significant electrolyte abnormalities.

Divers who are alert but in respiratory distress require transfer to an intensive care setting
for chest roentgenography, oxygen administration, and monitoring of oxygen saturation,
arterial blood gases, urinary output, and electrolytes.

The initial chest film may be normal despite marked cough or respiratory distress. Since
water ingestion and asphyxia can damage the alveolar capillary membrane, pulmonary
edema can occur hours later as ARDS (Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome). Frequent
auscultation and continuous monitoring of oxygen saturation can detect this delayed
complication.

Bronchospasm can be treated with inhaled beta agonists (bronchial dilators). In the rare
person who proceeds to ARDS. continuous positive airway pressure, with or without
mechanical ventilation, may be needed to maintain adequate PO2 and, accompanied by
ventilation, is the single most effective treatment for hypoxemia.
Saltwater is hypertonic and can cause a shift of fluid from the circulation into the lung and
pleural space, whereas freshwater is hypotonic to serum and is rapidly absorbed and
redistributed. This might account for the productive cough associated with this syndrome
and on a chronic basis could cause hemoconcentration, a known risk for decompression
accidents. Ingestion of grossly contaminated water can cause pneumonia and lung
abscess; fortunately these complications are rare.

Prevention

It may be your regulator. Rodale's ScubaLab has tested some 185 models of regulators
and has found a wide variation in the dryness of the equipment. They found that in
general, all regulators will have a more difficult time staying dry when you are in odd
positions (upside down, on your back, etc.) or just after you have replaced the regulator in
your mouth, but top performers keep this to a minimum.

Get your regulator serviced on a regular basis. Some regulators breathe wetter due to the
non-return exhaust valves not seating as well as they should. Proper maintenance can
help prevent this. Rodale's offers this simple test: With no air pressure to the regulator and
the first-stage dust cap firmly in place, exhale forcefully through the second stage and then
inhale forcefully. You should get no air on the inhale. If your regulator doesn't pass the test,
have it serviced before diving.

Keep your reg in your mouth as much as possible. The best way to keep your regulator
breathing dry is to keep water out of the second stage. Use your power inflator, not your
oral inflator, to minimize the number of times you remove your second stage from your
mouth. Enter and exit the water with your reg in your mouth and use your regulator on the
surface during rough water conditions. Do not buddy breathe to share air, but use an
alternate air source.
Always exhale before you inhale on a regulator. If you are clearing a regulator in the water,
take your first breath cautiously. If any water remains in the second stage, tilt your head so
the exhaust is at the lowest point, helping to drain the rest of the water out. The best
method for clearing a regulator: put the second stage in your mouth, tilt your head so the
exhaust is at the lowest point, then exhale while gently pushing the purge button.
Keep your mouth shut. Even if your regulator is working properly, you will inhale a
saltwater mist if you do not keep your mouth firmly sealed around the mouthpiece.
[Submitted by Steven Hartman]

Read/Post Comment: 1
Shared Viz Classified
categories
Shared Viz Business Network (9)

recent list
Independent Nursing and Essential Services (I.N.E.S)
Independent Nursing and Essential Services (I.N.E.S)
SA Muso Audio - Steve
Elf Clothing cc - Tanya
Peace of Mind House Sitters - Claire
Online
Guests: 1, Members: 0 ...

most ever online: 35
(Members: 0, Guests: 35) on 01 Sep : 23:54

Members: 101
Newest member: Rocket_Salad!
Chatbox
You must be logged in to post comments on this site - please either log in or if you are not registered click here to signup


Pinky - 20 Jun : 09:53
Fundraising Info 1: Simply Scuba Trust, Nedbank Branch 135705 Account 1357094620 If you could please put relief and your name as a ref.

Fundraising Info 2: The Whaler financially in this impossible time their account number is ABSA Bank, account number 9153657080 branch code 632005, ANY donations will be welcome, please use "relief" as reference for payments.

Fundraising Info 3: Dolphin encounters - Dolphin EnCOuntours, Nedbank, Sandton, acc number 1970645857 branch code 197005. Every little bit will help.

Dundraising info 4: Acc name T. Steyn, absa savings acc, 9171585843, kwanganase. You will receive a thank you from individuals so u know the money was received. Thanks guys for your support

Drop off points:
Prest-ige Dive - Northrand Road - Boksburg
Sandton Scuba - Riverside Shopping Center - Bryanston Drive
Calypso - Ushaka - Durban
Ponta Beach Bar - Louis - Ponta
Pinky - 20 Jun : 09:51
Rose Bilbrough -Just received this messages from Debs - Oh what special folk, well hard to say now as we have huge storage problem,but 100 bricks and a bag of cement per person - Duvets, pillows, sheets, knifes & forks spoons, plates. Pot or pan. For now iam sure that will help a lot.thankyou so much for helping us get our staffs lives back on track
Pinky - 20 Jun : 09:51
Lets Help Rebuild Ponta Do Oura Campsite Petro Shaw - What I would really apreciate is kids books and dvd esp 4 teags to try keep it semi normal. Copied r perfect. She is barney and mickey mouse mad at mo.
Pinky - 20 Jun : 09:50
Lets Help Rebuild Ponta Do Oura Campsite Got an sms from Elaine in Ponta Wayne and Petro's girls are a slender 15 and 12 and then the little one is 3 for sizes of clothes. They have also lost all their educational stuff, Computers, Printers school books etc in order for them to continue their studies!
Pinky - 20 Jun : 09:46
"Lets Help Rebuild Ponta Do Oura Campsite" - join this page on Face book please! There is info on how to get involved wither with donations or finacially.

View all posts (888)
Poll

Madagascar trip dates

15-21 May 2010

19-25 June 2010

This poll is restricted to members only

Votes: 3 Comments: 0
Previous polls