Delayed Evacuation Almost Cost Diver Full Recovery

Complications can arise when travelling to remote destinations where accessing appropriate diving trauma care requires hours-long boat rides or long road trips.

June and her partner were on a diving holiday in the South Pacific. Although they planned their dive, they unexpectedly encountered strong downdraft currents that quickly pulled them and their guide down to 30 metres. As they tried to stop their descent, they soon encountered an upward current that carried them to the surface. The dive lasted only three minutes.
The guide suggested they try again, and the trio dived for nearly an hour at 22 metres. They had a long surface interval and descended again to a maximum depth of 24 metres. They tried a third dive later in the day and faced strong currents again.

As June returned to the boat after the third dive, she immediately felt severe pain in her neck and shoulder — she knew something was very wrong. June lost mobility in her left arm, hand, and fingers. She and her companions were concerned about decompression sickness (DCS) or a stroke. They contacted DAN right away.

The on-call medic suggested that June return to shore and the closest medical facility. After a five-hour boat ride, they reached the dock, and June and her partner got into a taxi for an hours-long trip through the pouring rain on winding roads.

June’s condition worsened; she lost feeling in both feet.

They arrived at the hospital very late, only to discover that the hyperbaric physician was not on the premises. June’s partner urged hospital staff to bring in the doctor and called DAN again. With painful joints and numbness in her arms and legs, June’s condition was deteriorating when the doctor arrived at 2:30 a.m. The doctor said he could not administer hyperbaric treatment until the nurse arrived later in the morning.

But the phone call to DAN was enlightening: The medic advised that the chamber at the hospital they were at had not complied with recommended upgrades. Now that June had been examined by medical staff and they had ruled out serious, non-diving-related medical problems, DAN undertook a transfer of the couple to the closest appropriate hyperbaric chamber facility.

A few hours later, the couple was evacuated by air ambulance to Auckland, New Zealand. After a four-and-a-half-hour flight, the couple arrived at the navy hospital close to midnight. June was still suffering, and it had been 32 hours since the onset of her symptoms.

Doctors were worried that the delays in treatment could mean a long and incomplete recovery, but they worked quickly to get June into a chamber.

After just six hours, June could slightly move her hands and arms — a good sign. Additional treatments kept helping, and June continued to improve, undergoing seven treatments in all. A few weeks after the treatments, June still had problems with coordination, balance, and strength, but she continued to work with a neurophysiologist who helped her regain confidence and independence.

“Never get in the water with a tank on your back without having DAN insurance. DAN helped us through the ordeal seamlessly: They got a doctor on the line
and continually called us back throughout the first night,” said June. “They helped us make decisions ... I am deeply grateful to be alive and moving normally.

DAN 24/7 Emergency Hotlines
1800 088 200 Australia
+1 919 684 9111 International

NZ Diver Emergency Service
0800 4 337 111
World.DAN.org