Prehospital, Resuscitation and Emergency Care Research Unit, Curtin School of Nursing, Curtin University, Western Australia.
Divers Alert Network, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
Diving Hyperb Med. 2022 Jun 30;52(2):92-96. doi: 10.28920/dhm52.2.92-96.
Closed-circuit rebreathers (CCRs) are designed to be watertight. Ingressing water may react with carbon dioxide absorbent in the CCR, which may produce alkaline soda with a pH of 12-14, popularly referred to by CCR divers as a 'caustic cocktail'. This study aimed to explore divers' responses to caustic cocktail events and to investigate if CCR diving experience is associated with experiencing a caustic cocktail.
An online survey instrument was developed and an invitation to participate was extended to certified CCR divers aged ≥ 18 years. Relationships between number of caustic cocktail events and potential risk factors: age; hours of rebreather diving experience; and number of rebreather dives were explored.
Of the 413 respondents, 394 (95%) identified as male, mean age was 46 years and median length of CCR certification was six years. Fifty-seven percent (n = 237) of respondents reported having experienced a caustic cocktail. The probability of self-reporting none, one, or more caustic cocktail events increased with experience. Divers reported a variety of first aid treatments for caustic cocktails, with ∼80% citing their CCR instructor as a source of information.
The more hours or dives a CCR diver accrues, the more likely they will self-report having experienced one or more caustic cocktail events. The majority of CCR divers responded to a caustic cocktail by rinsing the oral cavity with water. A proportion of divers, however, responded by ingesting soda, dairy, juice, or a mildly acidic solution such as a mixture of vinegar and water. The recommendation to immediately flush with water needs reinforcing among rebreather divers.
闭路循环呼吸器（CCR）设计为防水。进水可能会与 CCR 中的二氧化碳吸收剂发生反应，这可能会产生 pH 值为 12-14 的碱性苏打水，CCR 潜水员通常将其称为“腐蚀性鸡尾酒”。本研究旨在探讨潜水员对腐蚀性鸡尾酒事件的反应，并调查 CCR 潜水经验是否与经历腐蚀性鸡尾酒有关。
开发了一种在线调查工具，并向年龄≥18 岁的认证 CCR 潜水员发出了参与邀请。探讨了发生腐蚀性鸡尾酒事件的次数与潜在危险因素之间的关系：年龄、再呼吸潜水经验小时数和再呼吸潜水次数。
在 413 名受访者中，394 名（95%）为男性，平均年龄为 46 岁，CCR 认证中位数为六年。57%（n=237）的受访者报告曾经历过腐蚀性鸡尾酒。自我报告无、一或多次腐蚀性鸡尾酒事件的概率随经验增加而增加。潜水员报告了各种腐蚀性鸡尾酒的急救治疗方法，约 80%的人将其 CCR 教练作为信息来源。
CCR 潜水员积累的小时数或潜水次数越多，他们自我报告经历过一次或多次腐蚀性鸡尾酒事件的可能性就越大。大多数 CCR 潜水员通过用水冲洗口腔来应对腐蚀性鸡尾酒。然而，有一部分潜水员会通过摄入苏打水、乳制品、果汁或像醋和水的混合溶液这样的微酸性溶液来应对。需要向再呼吸潜水员加强立即用水冲洗的建议。
