Descriptive study of diving injuries in the Canary Islands from 2008 to 2017

Introduction: This research reports the epidemiology of diving injuries managed in the Hyperbaric Medicine Unit of the Canary Islands University Hospital. Methods: Data were extracted from the clinical records of all divers injured and admitted to the unit for treatment of dysbaric diving injuries between 2008 and 2017, inclusive. Results: One-hundred and thirty diving injuries were recorded. Most (71%) occurred in men and 43% were foreigners. Eighteen per cent either had no diving certification or that information was not recorded in the clinical chart. Only a third of the 40% of divers who had some form of on-site first aid treatment received oxygen and oral rehydration. Type 1 decompression sickness (DCS) was diagnosed in 56 divers (43%) and Type 2 in 67 (52%), whilst seven were treated for omitted decompression. At discharge, 122 (94%) were asymptomatic, whilst 5% experienced some residual sensory or other changes. One diver who presented late remained quadriparetic and one, admitted in a state of coma, died. Only 76% of the injured divers had specific diving accident insurance and, of those, 58% were foreign divers. Conclusions: Over half of the injured divers did not receive any on-site first aid. The majority (94%) of treated injured divers were discharged without sequelae. Based on these data, several public health recommendations for the Canary Islands are made.