[Diving accidents]. / Tauchunfälle.

Decompression injuries occur on account of the special hyperbaric effects during the emerge phase and require superior therapeutic knowledge. Vitally important is emergency treatment with high concentrated oxygen at an early stage. Sever decompression injuries require oxygenation in a hyperbaric treatment chamber.

Does a patent foramen ovale matter when using a remote-controlled magnetic system for pulmonary vein isolation?

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) takes longer when using a patent foramen ovale (PFO) compared with a transseptal puncture in paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) with manual catheter ablation. To our knowledge, no data exist concerning the impact of a PFO on AF ablation procedure variables when using a remote magnetic navigation (RMN) system. AIM: To assess the impact of a PFO when using an RMN system in patients requiring AF ablation. METHODS: Between December 2011 and December 2012, catheter ablation was performed remotely using the CARTO(®) 3 system in 167 consecutive patients who underwent PVI for symptomatic drug-refractory AF. The radiofrequency generator was set to a fixed power ≤ 35 W. The primary endpoint was wide-area circumferential PVI confirmed by spiral catheter recording during ablation for all patients and including additional lesion lines (left atrial roof) or complex fractionated atrial electrograms for persistent AF. Secondary endpoints included procedural data. RESULTS: Mean age 58±10 years; 18% women; 107 (64%) patients with symptomatic paroxysmal AF; 60 (36%) with persistent AF; CHA2DS2-VASc score 1.2 ± 1. The PFO presence was evidenced in 49/167 (29.3%) patients during the procedure but in only 26/167 (16%) by transoesophageal echocardiography. Median procedure time 2.5 ± 1 hours; median total X-ray exposure time 14 ± 7 minutes; transseptal puncture and catheter positioning time 7.5 ± 5 minutes; left atrium electroanatomical reconstruction time 3 ± 2.3 minutes; catheter ablation time 3 ± 3 minutes. No procedure time or X-ray exposure differences were observed between patients with or without a PFO during magnetic navigation catheter ablation. X-ray exposure time was significantly reduced using a PFO compared with double transseptal puncture access. CONCLUSIONS: A PFO does not affect magnetic navigation during AF ablation; procedure times and X-ray exposure were similar. Septal catheter probing is mandatory to limit X-ray exposure and prevent potential complications.

Transcatheter PFO closure with GORE(®) septal occluder: early and mid-term clinical results.

BACKGROUND: Transcatheter closure of patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a widespread procedure. However the "quest" for the ideal device is still ongoing. Here we present the procedural and early results of transcatheter closure of PFO with the GORE® Septal Occluder. METHODS: Three Italian centers participated in a registry and collected data from 122 consecutive patients undergoing PFO closure by using GSO device. Indication for closure was previous stroke or transient cerebral ischemia in 110 and migraine in 12 subjects. RESULTS: The procedure was successful in all patients. The procedure was performed under general anesthesia, fluoroscopic, and trans-esophageal echocardiographic imaging in 80 subjects while it was performed with local anesthesia, fluoroscopic, and intracardiac echocardiographic monitoring in 42 subjects. Twenty patients received a 20 mm device, 70 patients received a 25 mm device, and 32 received a 30 mm device. Procedure and fluoroscopy times were 30 ± 20 and 5 ± 4 min, respectively. In three cases, the implanted device was retrieved because of unsatisfactory position. Four subjects (2.5%) experienced vascular complications. During a median follow-up of 9 months (range 1-18 months) seven patients experienced atrial arrhythmias and four of them required medical treatment. At six months follow-up, at chest X-ray in two cases there was evidence of fracture of two wires of the device. Devices were stable and no treatment was required. Moderate residual shunting was found in two patients at 6- and 12-months follow-up. No other complication occurred. CONCLUSION: GORE® Septal Occluder is an easy, safe, and effective device in closing PFO.

Patent foramen ovale associated with the unusual presentation of unilateral paramedian thalamic perforating artery infarction after embolic occlusion of 'artery of Percheron': case report and review of the literature.

'Artery of Percheron' is a rare variation in blood supply in which a solitary arterial trunk arises from one of the proximal segments of the posterior cerebral arteries and supplies the paramedian thalami bilaterally. A young patient (in their early 30s) who presented with sudden onset of visual disturbance and speech difficulties is reported. A review of literature from 1981 to 2009 and review of the most widely reported clinical signs and symptoms are provided.