Monday, December 6, 2010

SKYAID AIR AMBULANCE FOR DIVERS: CASE #1 ARTERIAL GAS EMBOLISM

Airgurus Ltd. Co.  provides Air Ambulance services throughout the Philippines via our SkyAid Membership program. For divers in the country (local or foreign), we are starting to spread awareness on how important it is to have an air ambulance on a standby to provide rescue and medical transfer to the appropriate medical facilities in the Philippines.




SkyAid was created out of our intent to provide Medical Evacuation (Medivac / Medevac) support in the Philippines.





  
One the of most common scuba diving accidents or case we encountered is arterial gas embolism. By definition, it is caused by the expansion of respiratory gases during ascent. It also occurs when the breath is held during ascent from a dive, when there is local pulmonary pathology, when there is dynamic airway collapse in the non-cartilaginous airways and if there is low pulmonary compliance particularly if this is not distributed evenly throughout the lungs.






Recognize these symptoms during or immediately upon surfacing:

  • Bloody froth from mouth or nose
  • Disorientation
  • Chest pain
  • Paralysis or weakness
  • Dizziness
  • Blurred vision
  • Personality change
  • Focal or generalized convulsions
  • Other neurological abnormalities
  • Hemoptysis (bloody sputum) 
  • Unconsciousness
  • Convulsions
  • Stopped breathing
  • Marbling of the skin
  • Air bubbles in the retinal vessels of the eye
  • Liebermeister's sign (a sharply defined area of pallor in the tongue)
  • Death 
Recognize Early Management:

  • CPR if required.
  • Open airway... prevent aspiration. Perform an intubation procedure if a trained person is available.
  • Give 02... remove only to open airway or if convulsions ensue. 
  • If conscious, give non-alcoholic liquids.
  • Place diver in horizontal and neutral position. 
  • Restrain convulsing person loosely and resume O2 as soon as airway is open. 
  • Protect from excessive cold, heat, water or fumes.
  • Transport to nearest ER for evaluation and stabilization in preparation for removal to the nearest re-compression chamber.
  • Make the calls! Call your Divers Alert Network (DAN) as seen hereunder:
or 

        Call Airgurus' SkyAid hotlines +632 5836337 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            +632 5836337      end_of_the_skype_highlighting, +632 8544086 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            +632 8544086      end_of_the_skype_highlighting, +63 9209550897 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            +63 9209550897      end_of_the_skype_highlighting and +63 9175966288 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            +63 9175966288      end_of_the_skype_highlighting for immediate medical evacuation. Air evacuation should be at sea level pressure or as low as possible in an unpressurized aircraft which Airgurus Ltd. Co. can provide.






Recognizing immediate treatment necessary for the diver is a must. To get transferred to recompression facilities would require an air ambulance.  Wherever you are in the Philippines, SkyAid's Medevac / Medivac is your best solution as we at Airgurus Ltd. Co. provide SkyAid Air Ambulance Membership to scuba diving enthusiasts (see package hereunder):








Whether you are a local or foreign national diving in the Philippines, this membership is an important and very practical choice for you in case of emergencies. For non-members of SkyAid, we offer chartering our SkyAid Air Ambulance but we rather suggest best that you sign up for a membership program so you and/or your family don't have to spend a lot for it! It's the best way to go and SkyAid is the best solution for diving accidents like arterial gas embolism. 







Scuba diving is still an incredibly safe sport when done properly. Also, keep in mind the golden rule of scuba diving... "Do not hold your breath!" 




Get your membership set now! Don't hold your breath on this one too! You never know... but it's always best when you come prepared and in cases like this, SkyAid is your lifeline!


Written for Airgurus by: Ms. Jodge Ledesma (http://www.socialmediawhore.blogspot.com)
Chopper Image by: Vincent Garrucho of eyeQ media
Diving Images by Airgurus' Heli-Dive Master: Mr. Neal Lim
Sources: www.thecubasite.com, www.scuba-doc.com and www.danasiapacific.org

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