Interesting timing...
Last night I attended a seminar in which our local head of hyperbaric medicine discussed how to not meet him professional (go for a chamber ride). He talked openly about PFO's. It would seem that he is of the opinion that one should dive conservatively and do everything else right and not be overly concerned about the PFO.
Now he wasn't that casual about it. Basically, he was saying that everyone should dive as though they have a PFO. He explained that yes, you could be tested for a PFO. But he added that you may not want to know. Why not? Don't you want to have it repaired if you have one? Well, apparently the risk of MAJOR complications (including death & paralysis) from the surgery is approx. 1.5 % and the risk of minor complications (not so minor.... cracking your chest opening to fish out the embolized "plug" from your lungs) is about 7.5%.
Somewhat alarming stuff. Even though as a healthy, young, fit adult I would not have the surgery to "correct" it, I do plan on finding out if I have a PFO at some point. I do think it is something you should be aware of as it is a risk factor for DCS. And considering about 1 in 3 divers have a PFO.... well, the "it can't happen to me" philosophy is simply unacceptable.
Last night I attended a seminar in which our local head of hyperbaric medicine discussed how to not meet him professional (go for a chamber ride). He talked openly about PFO's. It would seem that he is of the opinion that one should dive conservatively and do everything else right and not be overly concerned about the PFO.
Now he wasn't that casual about it. Basically, he was saying that everyone should dive as though they have a PFO. He explained that yes, you could be tested for a PFO. But he added that you may not want to know. Why not? Don't you want to have it repaired if you have one? Well, apparently the risk of MAJOR complications (including death & paralysis) from the surgery is approx. 1.5 % and the risk of minor complications (not so minor.... cracking your chest opening to fish out the embolized "plug" from your lungs) is about 7.5%.
Somewhat alarming stuff. Even though as a healthy, young, fit adult I would not have the surgery to "correct" it, I do plan on finding out if I have a PFO at some point. I do think it is something you should be aware of as it is a risk factor for DCS. And considering about 1 in 3 divers have a PFO.... well, the "it can't happen to me" philosophy is simply unacceptable.
