Ep 263 - Hyperbaric Medicine with Jeff Kerrie at LTC

13 snips

Mar 5, 2025

Dr. Jeff Kerrie, an internal medicine physician specializing in dive and hyperbaric medicine, shares his expertise on the nuances of hyperbaric therapy. He explores the critical treatment protocols for decompression sickness, addressing the importance of timely intervention. The discussion covers the mechanics of hyperbaric chambers and highlights both the medical applications and the risks of unregulated uses. With a focus on patient safety, Dr. Kerrie emphasizes consulting certified professionals for effective hyperbaric treatments.

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ADVICE

Consult Dive Medicine Experts

For suspected decompression illness, immediately call a dive medicine consultant.
Early oxygen administration (15L rebreather) pre-hospital can help.

INSIGHT

Decompression Illness Risk

Even if divers follow guidelines, decompression illness can occur; a bend rate is built into diving.
Divers may have bubbles after diving even without experiencing symptoms.

ADVICE

Essential Information for Dive Medicine Consult

When consulting dive medicine experts, provide patient's dive profile (depth, duration), and thorough physical exam findings.
Focus on neurological deficits and pain location when assessing a diver.

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In this episode of the St. Emlyn's podcast, hosts Iain Beardsell and Natalie May discuss hyperbaric medicine at the London Trauma Conference with Dr. Jeff Kerrie, an internal medicine physician from Canada. Dr. Kerrie provides insights into dive and hyperbaric medicine, covering the basics of hyperbaric therapy, its applications, and key practices for emergency departments when treating patients with decompression illness. The conversation also touches on misconceptions and unregulated uses of hyperbaric chambers, emphasizing the importance of consulting certified medical professionals.

00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guests 00:58 Understanding Hyperbaric Medicine 01:33 Dive Medicine and Decompression Illness 04:15 Emergency Response and Treatment Protocols 07:26 Hyperbaric Chamber Mechanics 10:05 Beyond Dive Medicine: Other Uses of Hyperbaric Therapy 11:43 Challenges and Misuses of Hyperbaric Therapy 12:38 Conclusion and Final Thoughts The Guest

For the last three years, Jeff Kerrie has served as the Island Health Medical Director of Quality, Safety, and Ethics. Dr. Kerrie has a master’s degree in clinical bioethics from Clarkson University/Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai in New York. Over the last six years, Dr. Kerrie helped build the Island Health ethics program, where he has provided ethics consultations and teaching to staff, patients, and families.

Dr. Kerrie underwent medical training at the University of Manitoba before completing residency in Internal Medicine at UBC. He practices as a general internist in Victoria, and is an Assistant Clinical Professor with the University of British Columbia and the University of Victoria. Other medical work has included medicine in atypical environments (including dive/hyperbaric medicine, ski patrol, and high altitude environments), obesity medicine, and international health. Dr. Kerrie is also a graduate of the Physician Quality Improvement program at Island Health.

In his spare time Dr. Kerrie enjoys aviation, skiing, and SCUBA diving.