Arterial gas embolism after decompression: correlation with right-to-left shunting
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Updated: Oct 25, 2026

Induction of Cerebral Arterial Gas Embolism in Rat
Published on: October 18, 2024
1Department of Neurology, University of Heidelberg, Klinikum Mannheim, Germany. ries@neuro.ma.uni-heidelberg.de
Abstract:
Paradoxical gas embolism is a possible cause of neurologic sequelae after decompression in divers. The authors detected arterial bubbles after decompression from chamber dives in two of six divers using transcranial Doppler sonography (TCD). Arterial bubbles correlated with the size of right-to-left shunting as diagnosed by contrast TCD. The pathway of spontaneous paradoxical embolism was tracked for the first time, supporting the concept of paradoxical gas embolism as a cause of early neurologic sequelae after decompression in at-risk divers.
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