Acute coronary syndrome and cerebral arterial gas embolism in a scuba diver

Pierre-Julien Moro; Mathieu Coulange; Olivier Brissy; Thomas Cuisset; Jacques Quilici; Jean-Philippe Mouret; Jean-Louis Bonnet; Alain Barthélémy

doi:10.1016/j.jccase.2010.10.002

Acute coronary syndrome and cerebral arterial gas embolism in a scuba diver

J Cardiol Cases. 2010 Dec 14;3(1):e22-e25. doi: 10.1016/j.jccase.2010.10.002. eCollection 2011 Feb.

Authors

Pierre-Julien Moro¹, Mathieu Coulange², Olivier Brissy¹, Thomas Cuisset¹, Jacques Quilici¹, Jean-Philippe Mouret¹, Jean-Louis Bonnet¹, Alain Barthélémy²

Affiliations

¹ Département de Cardiologie A, CHU Timone, 264, rue saint Pierre, 13005 Marseille, France.
² Centre de Médecine Hyperbare, Pôle RUSH, CHU Sainte Marguerite, Marseille, France.

Abstract

Background: Pulmonary barotrauma is a rare but feared complication of scuba diving, with around 30% mortality.

Objective: We report an uncommon case of pulmonary barotrauma complicated by arterial gas embolism with both coronary and neurological ischemic injuries after scuba diving.

Case report: A 46-year-old-man was admitted to our hospital for acute coronary syndrome and stroke following a scuba dive. After hyperbaric oxygen therapy, the patient recovered fully with a subsequent normal coronary angiogram.

Conclusion: Myocardial ischemia can be a complication of scuba diving, but does not always reveal significant obstructive coronary artery disease.

Keywords: Acute coronary syndrome; Cerebral gas embolism; Pulmonary barotrauma; Scuba diving.