Citation

Pougnet R, Pougnet L, Dewitte JD, Loddé B, Lucas D. Int. Marit. Health 2020; 71(1): 71-77.

Affiliation

Optimization of Physiological Regulations (ORPHY), EA 4324, Faculty of Science and Technology, European University of Brest, Brest, France.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, International Maritime Health Association, Publisher Via Medica)

DOI

10.5603/IMH.2020.0014

PMID

32212151

Abstract

BACKGROUND: In France, the monitoring of professional divers is regulated. Several learned societies (French Occupational Medicine Society, French Hyperbaric Medicine Society and French Maritime Medicine Society) have issued follow-up recommendations for professional divers, including medical follow-up. Medical decisions could be temporary unfitness for diving, temporary fitness with monitoring, a restriction of fitness, or permanent unfitness. The aim of study was to point out the causes of unfitness in our centre.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The divers' files were selected from the French National Network for Occupational Disease Vigilance and Prevention (RNV3P). Only files with a special medical decision were selected, between 2002 and 2019.

RESULTS: Three hundred and ninety-six professional divers are followed-up in our centre and 1371 medical decisions were delivered. There were 29 (7.3%) divers with a special medical decision, during 42 (3.1%) medical visit. Twelve (3.0%) had a permanent unfitness. The leading cause of unfitness was pulmonary diseases: emphysema (3), chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (2), asthma (2). Sixteen (4.0%) divers had temporary unfitness. The leading causes were cardiovascular (4 times) and neurological (6 times). Twelve (3.0%) divers had had at least one decompression sickness.

CONCLUSIONS: Judgments of permanent unfitness for diving were rare (3.0% of divers), but were because of life-threatening disease. Medical follow-up of occupational divers was justified to decrease the risk of fatal event during occupational dives.

Language: en

Keywords

France; contraindications; decompression sickness; diving; occupational medicine