title: Neurological accidents caused by repetitive breath-hold dives: two case reports.
abstract: We report two Japanese male professional breath-hold divers (33 and 39 years of age) who experienced neurological disorders during repetitive dives to over 20 m of seawater. One patient had right homonymous hemianopsia, and the other presented with right hemiparesis with facial involvement and sensory deficit. In addition, they each had a history of neurological problems following such dives. Magnetic resonance images of their brains disclosed multiple T2-weighted hyperintensities corresponding to their neurological symptoms. Their brain lesions suggest a multiple cerebral infarction caused by occlusion of the cerebral arteries. We conclude that the repetitive deep breath-hold dives induced the brain involvement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery and Division of Hyperbaric Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, 1-1 Iseigaoka, Yahatanishi-ku, 807-8555, Kitakyushu, Japan. k-kohshi@clnc.uoeh-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kohshi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Katoh
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okudera
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D003665:Decompression Sickness / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D004242:Diving / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology