Neurological symptoms after a provocative dive: spinal DCS or anterior spinal artery syndrome?

Full Abstract

Reported here is a 37-yr-old professional diving instructor who had developed complaints of back pain and weakness in the lower extremities after diving. He was eventually diagnosed as having spinal cord decompression sickness along with a likely diagnosis of anterior spinal artery (artery of Adamkiewicz) syndrome. Additionally, since the transthoracic echocardiography revealed patent foramen ovale, we hypothesized that it might have been a potential route for gas bubbles to occlude the anterior spinal artery in this diver.

Author information

Author/s: Uzun, Gunalp (G); Cakar, Engin (E); Kiralp, Mehmet Zeki (MZ); Carli, Alparslan (A); Durmus, Oguz (O); Senol, Mehmet Güney (MG); Mutluoglu, Mesut (M); Uz, Omer (O); Dinçer, Umit (U); Ozçakar, Levent (L);

Affiliation: Department of Underwater and Hyperbaric Medicine, Gülhane Military Medical Academy, Haydarpasa Teaching Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. gunalpuzun(-atsign-)yahoo.com

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Case Reports; Journal Article

Journal: Aviation, space, and environmental medicine (Aviat Space Environ Med), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Oct; vol 80 (issue 10) : pp 898-9

Dates: Created 2009/10/12; Completed 2009/11/03;

PMID: 19817244, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/3/2009, IMS Date: )

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