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Delayed blood-brain barrier disruption after shallow-water diving demonstrated by magnetic resonance imaging

  • Amir Hadanny
  • , Sigal Tal
  • , Gregori Fishlev
  • , Yair Bechor
  • , Shai Efrati
  • Assaf Harofeh Medical Center
  • Tel Aviv University

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

A 22-year-old diver presented to our emergency room complaining of headaches and left side numbness three days after diving to a depth of 6 metres for 25 minutes. On examination, he had left-sided hypaesthesia, and a post-contrast FLAIR brain MRI sequence revealed significant diffuse meningeal enhancement, indicating blood-brain-barrier (BBB) disruption. The patient was treated with hyperbaric oxygen; the initial four sessions resulted in only partial symptom improvement correlating with partial improvement in the MRI findings. Ten additional hyperbaric treatments resulted in complete resolution of the symptoms and normalization of MRI findings. The main aim of this case report is to present a probable, atypical, delayed-onset case of shallow-water decompression sickness culminating in significant BBB damage, which was demonstrated by special MRI techniques.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)116-120
Number of pages5
JournalDiving and Hyperbaric Medicine
Volume45
Issue number2
StatePublished - Jun 2015
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2015, South Pacific Underwater Medicine Society. All rights reserved.

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

  1. SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
    SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

  • Brain
  • Case report
  • Decompression sickness
  • Hyperbaric oxygen therapy
  • Persistent foramen ovale
  • Radiological imaging

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