Does persistent (patent) foramen ovale closure reduce the risk of recurrent decompression sickness in scuba divers?Show others and affiliations
2021 (English)In: Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine, ISSN 1833-3516, Vol. 51, no 1, p. 63-67, article id PMID 33761542Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
Introduction: Interatrial communication is associated with an increased risk of decompression sickness (DCS) in scuba diving. It has been proposed that there would be a decreased risk of DCS after closure of the interatrial communication, i.e., persistent (patent) foramen ovale (PFO). However, the clinical evidence supporting this is limited. Methods: Medical records were reviewed to identify Swedish scuba divers with a history of DCS and catheter closure of an interatrial communication. Thereafter, phone interviews were conducted with questions regarding diving and DCS. All Swedish divers who had had catheter-based PFO-closure because of DCS were followed up, assessing post-closure diving habits and recurrent DCS. Results: Nine divers, all with a PFO, were included. Eight were diving post-closure. These divers had performed 6,835 dives (median 410, range 140-2,200) before closure, and 4,708 dives (median 413, range 11-2,000) after closure. Seven cases with mild and 10 with serious DCS symptoms were reported before the PFO closure. One diver with a small residual shunt suffered serious DCS post-closure; however, that dive was performed with a provocative diving profile. Conclusion: Divers with PFO and DCS continue to dive after PFO closure and this seems to be fairly safe. Our study suggests a conservative diving profile when there is a residual shunt after PFO closure, to prevent recurrent DCS events.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
SOUTH PACIFIC UNDERWATER MED SOC , 2021. Vol. 51, no 1, p. 63-67, article id PMID 33761542
Keywords [en]
Decompression illness; Right-to-left shunt; Risk; Scuba diving; Trimix;Venous gas embolism
National Category
Endocrinology and Diabetes
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-178563DOI: 10.28920/dhm51.1.63-67ISI: 000678175100009PubMedID: 33761542Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85103494951OAI: oai:DiVA.org:liu-178563DiVA, id: diva2:1588469
2021-08-272021-08-272025-08-21Bibliographically approved