I was recently diagnosed with a 2mm brain aneurysm, it has not ruptured but I was wondering what is the likelihood of me going diving again. I know the aneurysm is considered very small but just want to make sure I am getting good advice. The non-diving docs that I have spoken with have said to not be concerned about it. Any thoughts?
Brain Aneurysm
- Thread starter Jallen53
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fisherdvm
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I'd PM shakeybrainsurgeon. I think he is a retired neurosurgeon on this board. You should find his postings scatterred through out the medical section.
My guess is that you are fine to dive, just don't get into fights with your wife, and make sure you pet your cat everyday.
My guess is that you are fine to dive, just don't get into fights with your wife, and make sure you pet your cat everyday.
headsqueeze
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You must have undergone a magnetic resonant arteriogram or CT angiogram to find it. As an incidental finding, it should not ever cause problems during diving if it remains @ 2mm.
More importantly however, is your reason for having the test done in the first place. If from curiosity, then no problem. If because of unexplained headaches or another disease, then that's another concern altogether.
btw, I would be best considered a non diving doc, because I have yet to complete my open water test.
More importantly however, is your reason for having the test done in the first place. If from curiosity, then no problem. If because of unexplained headaches or another disease, then that's another concern altogether.
btw, I would be best considered a non diving doc, because I have yet to complete my open water test.
shakeybrainsurgeon
Contributor
A truly unruptured 2 mm aneurysm should not be a contraindication to diving. The risk of rupture of any asymptomatic aneurysm is low, and one this small is very low, so the likelihood of an event during the time underwater is miniscule statistically. Moreover, diving doesn't really change the pressure gradients across cerebral blood vessels. It is probably riskier to watch a stressful football game than to dive. The one activity that seems most prone to causing hemorrhage is not diving, but...well, let's say it is another activity that most people find entertaining as well. This is a family-friendly forum, so use your imagination.
Just my opinion, of course, not official advice, which can only come from your own doctors.
Just my opinion, of course, not official advice, which can only come from your own doctors.
DGriffin
Registered
Check out the thread below titled "Cerebral Aneurysm".
I had a 4mm hemorraged (December) aneurysm, and I will be diving in Grand Turk next week! My Neuro cleared me and then called DAN. Basically what was shared with me was absolutely in line with what SBS shared in response to my posts.
Good luck.
I had a 4mm hemorraged (December) aneurysm, and I will be diving in Grand Turk next week! My Neuro cleared me and then called DAN. Basically what was shared with me was absolutely in line with what SBS shared in response to my posts.
Good luck.
Sorry for the late response but thank you for all who have responded.
The way I was diagnosed was my company was offering a free heart scan to all employees; I was diagnosed with an enlarged ascending aorta that day. 2 weeks later I was having open heart surgery to repair the aorta and repair my bicuspid aortic valve. Almost a month later during my recovery I noticed I would occasionally get double vision for 10-30 seconds. I discussed this with my doc and he said it might be due to a blood clot from the surgery. So I went and got a CT, CTA and an MRI. All three of the test showed something by the circle of wilis but none were conclusive. I was told it is either a 2mm aneurysm or a loop in the vessel.
That all being said, the doc put me on plavix and since then I have had no vision problems again. They also said that based on where the "aneurysm" is located it should not have any effect of vision. So, my life has been a little crazy over the last 5 months.
The way I was diagnosed was my company was offering a free heart scan to all employees; I was diagnosed with an enlarged ascending aorta that day. 2 weeks later I was having open heart surgery to repair the aorta and repair my bicuspid aortic valve. Almost a month later during my recovery I noticed I would occasionally get double vision for 10-30 seconds. I discussed this with my doc and he said it might be due to a blood clot from the surgery. So I went and got a CT, CTA and an MRI. All three of the test showed something by the circle of wilis but none were conclusive. I was told it is either a 2mm aneurysm or a loop in the vessel.
That all being said, the doc put me on plavix and since then I have had no vision problems again. They also said that based on where the "aneurysm" is located it should not have any effect of vision. So, my life has been a little crazy over the last 5 months.
It would seem to me that the next step would be a neuro angiogram. Certainly the best way to see any type of aneurysm. Also an excellent way of mapping a 3-D picture of the vessels
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