SHM Converge Scientific Abstract ePoster Gallery-Pfo Closure in Scuba Divers: A Systemic Review

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This systematic review, conducted according to PRISMA guidelines, searched PubMed for English-language full-text case reports and observational studies from January 1, 2010 onward. The review focused on ischemic stroke among scuba divers, including epidemiological features, prevalence, clinical presentation, and the role of patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure as secondary prevention.<br /><br />Twelve relevant studies were identified from 28 screened articles. Across the included studies, the incidence of ischemic stroke in scuba divers ranged from 0.01% to 0.095%. The average age of affected divers was 38 years, with a range of 34 to 42 years. No overall gender difference was found, but among men, divers with PFO had a 4.5-fold higher risk of stroke than divers without PFO.<br /><br />Smoking was the most commonly reported risk factor. The most frequent presenting symptoms were limb tingling, confusion, headache, and loss of consciousness. The average diving depth among stroke cases was 41 feet. A shorter latency from dive exposure to stroke was observed in non-PFO patients compared with PFO patients (70 minutes vs. 155 minutes).<br /><br />Overall, the findings suggest that PFO closure may offer benefit over medical therapy for secondary prevention in scuba divers who have experienced ischemic stroke, with a reported reduction in risk (HR 0.55).

Asset Subtitle

Aasa Kuditipudi

Meta Tag

Author List Aasa Kuditipudi, Ayesha Hameed, Inemesit Williams, Kunwardeep Singh Arora, Naga Ganti, Neel Patel, Raghavendra Tirupathi, Sachin Gupta, Shafaq Taj, Srishti Laller, Sudha Dirisanala, Urvish Patel, Vedant Shah, Yadanar Win Lei

Category Research

Concept Ischemic Stroke

Concept Patent Foramen Ovale

Concept Scuba Divers

Concept Risk Factors

Concept Stroke Risk

Distinguished Non-Finalist

Presenter Organization Dr. Pinnamaneni Siddhartha Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Foundation

Presenting Author Aasa Kuditipudi

Track Patient Safety

Keywords

ischemic stroke

scuba divers

systematic review

PRISMA

patent foramen ovale

PFO closure

secondary prevention

smoking

clinical presentation

incidence

Ischemic Stroke

Patent Foramen Ovale

Scuba Divers

Risk Factors

Stroke Risk