What Researchers Did
Researchers reported a case of cerebral arterial gas embolism and subsequent vestibular decompression sickness in a 33-year-old professional diver with a persistent foramen ovale.
What They Found
The diver experienced cerebral arterial gas embolism after a dive, which resolved with recompression on a Royal Navy Treatment Table 62. Six weeks later, he developed vestibular decompression sickness after another dive, requiring an extended RN TT62 and five additional hyperbaric oxygen treatments. A 4 mm persistent foramen ovale was subsequently diagnosed and successfully closed, allowing him to return to commercial diving a year later.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection as it describes a case from Scotland.
Study Limitations
As a single case report, the findings cannot be generalized to a broader population of divers or used to establish prevalence rates.