Cerebrospinal vascular diseases misdiagnosed as decompression illness: the importance of considering other neurological diagnoses.

What Researchers Did

Researchers presented three case studies of divers initially suspected of decompression illness (DCI) but later diagnosed with other cerebrovascular diseases.

What They Found

All three divers, aged 45, 49, and 54, were initially suspected of DCI but were ultimately diagnosed with other serious conditions: subarachnoid hemorrhage, cerebral stroke with putaminal hemorrhage, and spinal epidural hematoma, respectively. These cases highlight that neurological symptoms post-diving can mimic DCI but stem from distinct cerebrovascular diseases.

Canadian Relevance

This study does not have a direct Canadian connection.

Study Limitations

The study's findings are limited by its small sample size, consisting of only three case reports.