Possible central nervous system oxygen toxicity seizures among US recreational air or enriched air nitrox open circuit diving fatalities 2004–2013
© 2017 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. Background: The first diver certification programme for recreational ‘enriched air nitrox’ (EAN) diving was released in 1985. Concerns were expressed that many EAN divers might suffer central nervous system (CNS) oxygen toxicity seizures and drown. Methods:...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
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Informa UK Limited
2017
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/72520 |
| _version_ | 1848762772293156864 |
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| author | Buzzacott, Peter Denoble, P. |
| author_facet | Buzzacott, Peter Denoble, P. |
| author_sort | Buzzacott, Peter |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | © 2017 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. Background: The first diver certification programme for recreational ‘enriched air nitrox’ (EAN) diving was released in 1985. Concerns were expressed that many EAN divers might suffer central nervous system (CNS) oxygen toxicity seizures and drown. Methods: US fatalities on open-circuit scuba occurring between 2004–2013, where the breathing gas was either air or EAN, were identified. Causes of death and preceding circumstances were examined by a medical examiner experienced in diving autopsies. Case notes were searched for witnessed seizures at elevated partial pressures of oxygen. Results: The dataset comprised 344 air divers (86%) and 55 divers breathing EAN (14%). EAN divers’ fatal dives were deeper than air divers’ (28 msw vs 18 msw, p < 0.0001). Despite this, of the 249 cases where a cause of death was established, only three EAN divers were considered to have possibly died following CNS oxygen toxicity seizures at depth (ppO2 132, 142 and 193 kPa). Conclusion: The analysis of recreational diving fatalities in the US over 10 years found just one death likely from CNS oxygen toxicity among EAN divers. A further two possible, although unlikely, cases were also found. Fears of commonplace CNS oxygen toxicity seizures while EAN diving have not apparently been realized. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T10:52:53Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-72520 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T10:52:53Z |
| publishDate | 2017 |
| publisher | Informa UK Limited |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-725202018-12-13T09:32:49Z Possible central nervous system oxygen toxicity seizures among US recreational air or enriched air nitrox open circuit diving fatalities 2004–2013 Buzzacott, Peter Denoble, P. © 2017 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. Background: The first diver certification programme for recreational ‘enriched air nitrox’ (EAN) diving was released in 1985. Concerns were expressed that many EAN divers might suffer central nervous system (CNS) oxygen toxicity seizures and drown. Methods: US fatalities on open-circuit scuba occurring between 2004–2013, where the breathing gas was either air or EAN, were identified. Causes of death and preceding circumstances were examined by a medical examiner experienced in diving autopsies. Case notes were searched for witnessed seizures at elevated partial pressures of oxygen. Results: The dataset comprised 344 air divers (86%) and 55 divers breathing EAN (14%). EAN divers’ fatal dives were deeper than air divers’ (28 msw vs 18 msw, p < 0.0001). Despite this, of the 249 cases where a cause of death was established, only three EAN divers were considered to have possibly died following CNS oxygen toxicity seizures at depth (ppO2 132, 142 and 193 kPa). Conclusion: The analysis of recreational diving fatalities in the US over 10 years found just one death likely from CNS oxygen toxicity among EAN divers. A further two possible, although unlikely, cases were also found. Fears of commonplace CNS oxygen toxicity seizures while EAN diving have not apparently been realized. 2017 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/72520 10.1080/02699052.2016.1255781 Informa UK Limited restricted |
| spellingShingle | Buzzacott, Peter Denoble, P. Possible central nervous system oxygen toxicity seizures among US recreational air or enriched air nitrox open circuit diving fatalities 2004–2013 |
| title | Possible central nervous system oxygen toxicity seizures among US recreational air or enriched air nitrox open circuit diving fatalities 2004–2013 |
| title_full | Possible central nervous system oxygen toxicity seizures among US recreational air or enriched air nitrox open circuit diving fatalities 2004–2013 |
| title_fullStr | Possible central nervous system oxygen toxicity seizures among US recreational air or enriched air nitrox open circuit diving fatalities 2004–2013 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Possible central nervous system oxygen toxicity seizures among US recreational air or enriched air nitrox open circuit diving fatalities 2004–2013 |
| title_short | Possible central nervous system oxygen toxicity seizures among US recreational air or enriched air nitrox open circuit diving fatalities 2004–2013 |
| title_sort | possible central nervous system oxygen toxicity seizures among us recreational air or enriched air nitrox open circuit diving fatalities 2004–2013 |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/72520 |