Best device for underwater diving (scuba)

I suspect that decision will soon be made to implant a device. In my research thus far I am finding it difficult to find information on tested pressume (ATA) for these devices. Guidant does rate their units muh better than Medtronic (you give up diving with a Medtronic), but St Jude may also be certified for higher pressure as well.

I am hoping that those of you on this site will have better knowledge than I do about this. To give up diving simply due to a lack of certification seems short sited on the part of the manufacture.

Here is what I know so far.

Guidant: Rated to 6 ATA (atmospheres absolute)

Guidant: New model about to be released - rumors that it will be certificted deeper than 6ATA (A Good thing !)

St Jude: Rater to ?? ATA

Medtronic: Rate to 2.5 ATA (not able to dive)

The other unfortunate news I have found is the out dated notion that a device is rated to "recreational limits" - and what they think that limit is. Diving has changed a lot in the past decade. With research, modern computers and equipment diving is routinely done to depths below 200 feet now. Some agencies still continue to call 135 feet 'recreational' with the hopes in selling "specialty classes" that allow you to go deeper. This is misleading.

A Recreational diver is not paid usually while a commercial one is. There is no longer much difference between them in terms of maximum depths (until you get to saturation diving which is beyond the abilities of non-commercial divers). There are other fields such as scientific and public safety but these again are non-commercial in nature.

The concept that recreational divers only go to 130 feet and commercial divers go everywhere else is false.

Plus why should a otherwise healthy commercial diver be forced to give up diving.


7 Comments

Don't get a Guidant

by ted - 2008-03-03 01:03:46

I don;t know a thing about scuba diving, but I agreee with CathrynB about Guidant. This company has not been truthful in the past and I wouldn;t believe anything they say. Guidant should be boycotted by the medical profession.

Underwater ICD

by rc - 2008-03-03 03:03:13

Hi,
I have a Medtronics ICD model D154ATGID - along with the imfamous Medtronic leads - and have been down to 3 ats without incident.

As far as the mfgrs being upfront & honest about our devices, I really get the feeling that they're learning about all of this as they go along just like we are. In fact, up until now I wasnt even been aware that there could be an issue with an ICD & diving (gee thanks doc).

The only cautionary warnings that I got when leaving the hospital was to avoid magnets (including the scanners at airports); anything the generates Electro Magnetic Fields (large turbines & places like engine rooms where EMF is generated); and ham radio (my other hobby!!!).
The docs have backed off the ham radio stand, provided I dont stand in front of the antenna while transmitting - lol

Each one of us is different, and our devices are different. The best bet, might be that rather than leaving it up to the pure cardio guys and the mfgrs to determine what is / is not acceptable it could be worth while contacting a doc with a good background in hyperbaric medicine - possibly someone at DAN might be able to assist. I'm guessing that DAN should be fairly objective and if they dont have the answer that they should be able to steer us in the right direction.

Not sure if this helps or just further confuses things.

tks
Rick

Scuba

by ridera - 2008-03-03 05:03:12

I'm a serious diver and planning to go to Indonesia in May.

I have a Medtronic Adapta which is rated for 2.5 ATAs which is ridiculous when you think about it. That's about 40lbs above normal pressure. If their PMs were that fragile folks would be having defective devices all the time due to falls, etc. These are tough little boxes; they gave me a couple for souvenirs.

Best I can tell from asking Medtronic and doing a bit of research, the number was selected by their lawyers and not engineering.

To confirm my opinion, I contacted DAN and asked if there were any reports of scuba diving PM failures. It's been about a year, so there may be some new info; but, I doubt it. Bottom line, they had no reports of PM failures. https://www.diversalertnetwork.org

Frankly, I'm not the least concerned and plan to dive up to about 120 feet. I'm not giving you advice; I'm just telling you what my personal experience and opinion is.

Good luck...

Note to Rick

by ElectricFrank - 2008-03-04 02:03:25

Interesting about the Ham restriction. I talked to the Medtronic rep about it and mentioned that the RF field within a few hundred feet of a commercial FM or AM radio tower would likely exceed most ham rigs at much closer distancesl I've tested my pacer with the antenna of a 5W CB transmitter within a foot of my chest with no problem. Maybe a kilowatt rig might cause problems.

frank W6DZG

Ham Radio

by rc - 2008-03-04 04:03:20

Hi Frank,
I think that the biggest concern about ham xmitters is the ...lawyers.

The doc, the hospital and all of the literature that I received from Metronics when I was discharged, had a list of dos & dont's one of which was to avoid ham radio!

When I pushed the doc on this at my first office visit he said that there probably wouldnt be a problem and just don't stand next the the antenna. I'm mostly on HF so I'm not standing next to the antenna anyway!! However I've also done some make shift 2-meter stuff at 50-watts with a 5/8 wave whip about 4 feet away. No problems.
I've also use various HTs without incidents.

Think its mostly the lawyers who are just trying to cya
so that IF something ever happens they can say "we told ya so".

73
Rick KK5RX

You have it right!

by ElectricFrank - 2008-03-05 04:03:49

Thanks for the comments. Sounds like you have done the same things I have. I have my own ECG that I can use to watch my heart beat plus pacer pulses. Anytime I have a question I just hook it up and watch while I challenge the pacer!

Scuba

by xjjag - 2010-09-17 08:09:08

I have been diving for many years and possess a Master Diver card. I have had a Guidant AICD model 1860 since 2004. After my CABGx7 surgery in June of 2004, I was back in the water diving by December of the same year.. Shallow stuff at first, but by Feb I was diving to 110-120 ft regularly. Having checked with DAN and Guidant, I felt comfortable that I would have no problems... and I haven't. Since my surgery, I have logged nearly 200 dives with no incidents whatsoever.

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I've never had a problem with my model.