Dive medical questions Flashcards
What is the nervous system comprised of ?
Brain, spinal chord, and complex network of nerves that course through the body
What does the peripheral nervous system consist of?
Cranial nerves, spinal nerves, and the sympathetic nervous system
What are the four chambers of the heart?
Left and right atrium (upper chambers) and left and right ventricles (lower chambers)
What does the atrium chamber do ?
Receives blood from the veins of its circuit
What does the ventricle chamber do?
Takes blood from the atrium and pumps it away via the main artery. (They have the thickest and most muscular walls)
What do arteries do ?
Carry blood from the heart to capillaries
What do veins do?
Return blood from the capillaries to the heart.
Circulatory system consists of what two circuits ?
Pulmonary circuit and systemic circuit
Pulmonary circuit
Serves the lungs capillaries.
Systemic circuit
Serves the tissues capillaries
What are the main veins in the upper chest ?
Superior and inferior vena cava
What does Superior vena cava do
Receives blood from upper half of body
What does inferior vena cava do
Receives blood from area of the body below the diaphragm.
What is hemoglobin
Cells that carry oxygen.
How many respiration phases are there and what are the phases?
- 6 phases
1. Ventilation of the lungs with fresh air
2. Exchange of gases between blood and air in the lungs
3. Transport of gases by blood
4. Exchange of gases by blood and tissue fluids
5. Exchange of gases between the tissue fluids and cells
6. Use and production of gases by cells
Hypoxia
Is lack of oxygen in arterial blood
Symptoms of hypoxia
(Cilli wld) SILLY WORLD C-cyanosis i- increased pulse and b/p L-lack of concentration L- lack of muscle control i- inability to perform
W- weakness
L- loss of consciousness
D- drowsiness
Which tissue is most susceptible to the effect of hypoxia ?
Brain tissue
Hypercapnia
An abnormally high level of carbon dioxide in the blood and body tissues
Symptoms of hypercapnia
(I child)
I- increased respiration and heart
C- confusion H- headache I- inability to concentrate L- loss of consciousness D- drowsiness
What are the prerequisites for a squeeze ?
G- gas filled space R- rigid walls A- a change in ambient pressure V- vascular penetration (air pushing through tissues) E- enclosed space
What is a squeeze(barotrauma) ?
Damage to body tissues due to an incorrect equalization of pressure
Different types of squeezes
- Middle ear squeeze/reverse
- sinus squeeze/reverse
- tooth squeeze
- external ear squeeze/reverse
- Thoracic (lung) squeeze
- face or body squeeze
- inner ear squeeze/reverse
What is a middle ear squeeze ?
-The most common type of barotrauma
What is a tooth squeeze (barodontaglia)
Occurs when a small pocket of gas,generated by decay, is lodged under a poorly fitted or cracked filling
How does external ear squeeze happen?
Happens when hood is too tight or have ear plugs in.
What is a thoracic (lung) squeeze
Happens when you take a breath at surface and hold your breath through your whole descent,eventually you’ll get a lung squeeze
What is Gastrointestinal distention
Aided by gas being generated in the intestines during a dive, or by swallowing air (aerophagia). These pockets of gas should work their way out, if not distention occurs.
Pulmonary overinflation syndromes
Is a group of barotrauma related diseases caused by ascending too quickly or holding you breather on ascent.
What are the two main causes of alveolar rupture in diving?
- excessive pressure inside the lung caused by positive pressure
- failure of expanding gas to escape from the lung during ascent
What is the most dangerous POIS? (Pulmonary overinflation syndrome)
Age (arterial gas embolism)
What is an AGE? (Arterial gas embolism)
An obstruction of blood flow cause by gas bubbles (emboli) entering the arterial circulation.
What are the symptoms of age?
UNDER-unconsciousness WATER- weakness PEOPLE- paralysis NEED- numbness EXTREMELY- ear, ringing, roar BIG- blurred or distorted vision DRINKS- dizziness FOR- fatigue, extreme for amount of work done PARTYING- pins and needles
What is mediastinal emphysema ?
Air bubbles in the chest area.
- gas that is forced through lung tissue into the loose mediastinal tissues in the middle of the chest surrounding the heart, trachea and major blood vessels.
What is subcutaneous emphysema?
Air bubbles going to the neck area.
- gas that subsequently migrated into the subcutaneous tissues of the neck. MEDIASTINAL EMPHYSEMA is a prerequisite for subcutaneous emphysema.
What is a pneumothorax?
-Is air trapped in the pleural space between the lung and the chest wall.
Difference between simple pneumothorax and tension pneumothorax?
Simple pneumothorax has one pop of air rupturing lung , tension pneumothorax it happens continuously.
What is nitrogen narcosis ?
A state of euphoria that occurs to a diver when the nitrogen partial pressure is greater than approximately 4 ata.
When does nitrogen narcosis appear?
Usually appears at approximately 130 fsw, very prominent at a depth of 200 fsw, and becomes disabling at deeper depths.
What are symptoms of nitrogen narcosis ?
- loss of judgment or skill
- a false feeling of well being
- lack of concern for job or safety
- apparent stupidity
- inappropriate laughter
- tingling and vague numbness of the lips, and gums, and legs
When should helium-oxygen mixtures be considered ?
Any dive in excess of 150 fsw
What are the two oxygen toxicity experienced by divers?
Pulmonary toxicity and central nervous system (CNS) oxygen toxicity.
Prerequisite for a squeeze
G-gas filled space R-rigid walls A-ambient pressure change V- vascular penetration E- enclosed space
Pulmonary o2 toxicity symptoms
C-cough, severe
B- breathing shortness of breath
S- substernal chest pain
Type 1 dcs symptoms
P- pain
M- marbling
S- swelling of lymph nodes
Type 2 dcs is divided into what three categories ?
- Neurological
- Inner ear (staggers)
- Cardiopulmonary (chokes)
Two types of recompression treatment tables
- Oxygen tables ( significantly more effective than air tables
- Air tables ( only used after oxygen system failure or intolerable patient oxygen toxicity problems with DMO recommendation
Steps of POIS
1- pulmonary overinflation
2- RUPTURE OF THE ALVEOLAR LINING
3- pulmonary interstitial emphysema
4A- AGE
4B- mediastinal Emphysema
4C- Subcutaneous Emphysema
4D- pneumothorax (tension pneumothorax)
