Atrial septal defect decompression sickness
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editors-In-Chief: Priyamvada Singh, M.B.B.S. [[2]]; Cafer Zorkun, M.D., Ph.D. [3]; Assistant Editor-In-Chief: Kristin Feeney, B.S. [[4]]
Overview
Patients with patent foramen ovale and less frequently atrial septal defect are predisposed to decompression sickness. Decompression sickness or divers disease occurs when body encounters depressurization such as in scuba diving, caisson working, flying in unpressurised aircraft, and extra-vehicular activity from spacecraft. The reduced pressure causes dissolved gases coming out of solution into bubbles inside the body.
Decompression sickness
ASDs, and particularly PFOs, are a predisposing risk factor for decompression sickness in divers because a proportion of venous blood carrying inert gases, such as helium or nitrogen does not pass through the lungs.[1][2] The only way to release the excess inert gases from the body is to pass the blood carrying the inert gases through the lungs to be exhaled. If some of the inert gas-laden blood passes through the PFO, it avoids the lungs and the inert gas is more likely to form large bubbles in the arterial blood stream causing decompression sickness.
External links
- ↑ Lier H, Schroeder S, Hering R (2004). "[Patent foramen ovale: an underrated risk for divers?]". Dtsch Med Wochenschr. 129 (1–2): 27–30. PMID 14703578.
- ↑ Saary M, Gray G (2001). "A review of the relationship between patent foramen ovale and type II decompression sickness". Aviat Space Environ Med. 72 (12): 1113–20. PMID 11763113.