[Health aspects of diving in ENT medicine. Part II: Diving fitness].
Diving has become increasingly popular. With the growing number of patients who want to dive, there is an increasing number of divers who require their regular medical examination. As ENT problems are the most common disorders in divers, otorhinolaryngologists regularly have to assess the diver's fitness. It should be noted that an ENT examination does not certify complete fitness to dive! Diving can be resumed 3 months after middle ear surgery, especially after tympanoplastic type I, II and III with insertion of a PORP, when there is regular middle ear ventilation without atrophic scars of the tympanic membrane. Even after stapes surgery, diving can be resumed when there are no signs of vestibular irritation during a provocation test. By 3 months after sinus surgery, the diver should perform a test dive under supervision before fitness to dive can be certified. After inner ear barotrauma, the diver remains fit to dive depending on his hearing ability in the involved ear. After inner ear decompression illness, one should look for a vascular right-to-left shunt before diving can be resumed. These and many more aspects are discussed in this article on how to determine whether a diver with ENT problems is fit to dive.
Klingmann
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C
Hals-Nasen-Ohren-Universitätsklinik Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany. christoph_klingmann@med.uni-heidelberg.de
Wallner
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F
D002568:Certification / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D004242:Diving / Q000592:standards*; D005858:Germany; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D010036:Otolaryngology / Q000379:methods; D010038:Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D010809:Physical Fitness