Apnoeic diving safety--experimental approaches to oxygen augmentation.

What Researchers Did

Researchers investigated if oxygen injected from a 100 ml syringe and inhaled during a 10m ascent by two experienced divers was fully exhaled.

What They Found

Mouth gas analysis revealed that the 100 ml of injected oxygen disappeared by the time two experienced divers reached the surface after a 10m ascent. This oxygen was also absent from alveolar gas, suggesting it was absorbed into the blood, potentially helping to prevent apnoeic blackout.

What This Means for Canadian Patients

For Canadian divers, this research suggests a potential method to increase oxygen transfer during apnoeic ascents, which could help prevent underwater blackouts. However, the abstract warns that larger volumes of oxygen augmentation could lead to a burst lung, emphasizing the need for extreme caution and further research.

Canadian Relevance

This study has no direct Canadian connection.

Study Limitations

The study involved only two experienced male divers, limiting the generalizability of the findings.