Patent foramen ovale in scuba divers. A report of two cases and a brief review of the literature.
Scuba diving (diving with a self-contained underwater breathing apparatus) has become a popular sport. Decompression illness may be due to the formation of gas bubbles in various body tissues at an increased ambient pressure. The gas can pass from the systemic venous circulation into the arterial circulation as a result of either pulmonary barotrauma or intravascular shunting. Gas emboli may be the cause of an increased prevalence of brain lesions in sport divers. The management of scuba divers (professionals and amateurs) with a patent foramen ovale is not clear. We present the cases of 2 subjects with decompression illness and a patent foramen ovale and briefly review the literature on this combination.
Chessa
Massimo
M
Pediatric Cardiology, Istituto Policlinico San Donato, San Donato Milanese, Italy. massichessa@yahoo.it
Clai
Francesco
F
Vigna
Carlo
C
Butera
Gianfranco
G
Negura
Diana Gabriela
DG
Giamberti
Alessandro
A
Bossone
Edoardo
E
Carminati
Mario
M
D000328:Adult; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D003665:Decompression Sickness / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D004242:Diving / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006344:Heart Septal Defects, Atrial / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014636:Valsalva Maneuver / Q000502:physiology