[Simultaneous transthoracic echocardiography and transcranial doppler ultrasonography with ultrasound contrast agents for the detection of a patent foramen ovale in diving medicine].
OBJECTIVE
Presentation of a non-invasive method for the identification of a patent foramen ovale (PFO) in screening of diving-candidates or for the investigation of diving accidents.


METHODS
Simultaneous transthoracic echocardiography and transcranial Doppler sonography of the middle cerebral artery using ultrasound contrast media.


RESULTS
In an unselected collective of amateur and professional divers a PFO was identified according to statistical prediction.


CONCLUSIONS
This method can be used in diving medicine for PFO detection as an alternative procedure to transesophageal echocardiography.
Klinik für Anaesthesiologie und Operative Intensivmedizin, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel. kampen@anaestesie.uni-kiel.de
J
J
Kampen
A
A
Koch
N
N
Struck
L
L
Heine
K
K
Tetzlaff
D000328:Adult; D003287:Contrast Media; D004242:Diving; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D006344:Heart Septal Defects, Atrial / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D020768:Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D017585:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial
D003287:Contrast Media