title: Patent foramen ovale in scuba divers. A report of two cases and a brief review of the literature.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Cardiology, Istituto Policlinico San Donato, San Donato Milanese, Italy. massichessa@yahoo.it
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chessa
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Clai
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vigna
authors.forename: Gianfranco
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Butera
authors.forename: Diana Gabriela
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Negura
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giamberti
authors.forename: Edoardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bossone
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carminati
mesh_terms: 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