Posted by Frank O'Donnell on June 06, 2001 at 21:48:24:
In Reply to: What is he talking about? posted by Neil on June 06, 2001 at 17:02:39:
Neil writes:
> The bubbles get compressed enough to get past the lungs WHERE?
I've heard a slightly different explanation of the DCS-related danger of bounce diving. In "Scuba Diving Explained," Lawrence Martin M.D. says the following:
"Bounce and sawtooth diving probably increase DCS risk because of silent bubble formation at depth. On ascent any silent bubbles that form begin to release nitrogen harmlessly. However, if the diver quickly returns to the deepest depth, more nitrogen will enter the tissues; _that_ nitrogen, on re-ascent, will then flow into the existing bubbles, which expand further. Thus, the risk of DCS increases by diving immediately after formation of any silent bubbles; bounce or sawtooth diving is one way to do this."
Maybe George thus is giving good advice, but for a slightly contorted reason?
As for PFO, Martin has an interesting discussion of it at this site where his book is posted online:
http://www.mtsinai.org/pulmonary/books/scuba/sectiong.htm