Related Experiment Videos
Patent foramen ovale and decompression sickness in divers
R E Moon1, E M Camporesi, J A Kisslo
1Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.
Lancet (London, England)
|March 11, 1989
Summary
Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a heart condition found in 37% of divers with decompression sickness. This PFO presence, particularly in severe cases, suggests it is a significant risk factor for developing this diving-related illness.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Diving Medicine
- Physiology
Background:
- Decompression sickness (DCS) affects divers due to gas bubble formation.
- Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a potential pathway for venous gas emboli to enter arterial circulation.
- The link between PFO and DCS risk requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence of PFO in patients with a history of DCS.
- To determine if PFO is a risk factor for DCS development in divers.
Main Methods:
- Examined 30 patients with DCS history for PFO using bubble contrast echocardiography and color flow Doppler.
- Compared PFO prevalence in DCS patients to 176 healthy volunteers.
Main Results:
- 11 (37%) of DCS patients exhibited right-to-left shunting through PFO during spontaneous breathing.
- A higher prevalence of shunting (61%) was observed in a subset of 18 patients with severe DCS symptoms.
- PFO prevalence in DCS patients was significantly higher than the 5% observed in healthy volunteers.
Conclusions:
- The presence of PFO is significantly more common in individuals who have experienced DCS.
- PFO appears to be a considerable risk factor for the development of decompression sickness in divers.