illiac artery bypass

[mlevy777]

Hello All, I'm new to the forum and am looking for advice regarding recreational diving following illiac artery bypass surgery. Bypass will be dacron prosthesis. Given all all other post op considerations, health, surgeon's release etc - does anyone have experience or contact with anyone that has had similar surgery and continues to dive.

 

[John Reinertson]

You don't mention the reason for requiring the surgery.

Most commonly, the cause is atherosclerosis, or disease of the arteries.

The biggest danger with arterial disease is not from the prosthesis, but from the risk that badly diseased leg arteries are often part of a wider disease affecting the coronary arteries of the heart and the carotid arteries to the brain.

I would suggest you need not only clearance from your surgeon, but also a fairly thorough cardiac evaluation and evaluation regarding risk for stroke before attempting diving.

this all presumes, of course, that the underlying cause is arterial disease and not old trauma or an accident.

Dive carefully.
John