Patent foramen ovale and decompression sickness in divers.
30 patients with a history of decompression sickness were examined for the presence of patent foramen ovale by bubble contrast, two-dimensional echocardiography and colour flow doppler imaging. With bubble contrast, 11 (37%) of the patients had right-to-left shunting through a patent foramen ovale during spontaneous breathing. 61% of a subset of 18 patients with serious signs and symptoms had shunting. This number was significantly higher than the 5% prevalence seen with the same diagnostic technique in 176 healthy volunteers. The presence of patent foramen ovale seems to be a risk factor for the development of decompression sickness in divers.
Moon
R E
RE
Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.
Camporesi
E M
EM
Kisslo
J A
JA
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003665:Decompression Sickness / Q000209:etiology*; D004242:Diving / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004452:Echocardiography; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005260:Female; D006344:Heart Septal Defects, Atrial / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014636:Valsalva Maneuver