Just got checked for a PFO

[Slamfire]

Last weekend we were in Lund enjoying surface interval lunch in the bakery after diving the Gulfstream wreck. We started talking about pfos and lung by passing. I mentioned almost exactly what you said about Dr. Harrison's recommendations, Dale. Including the open heart surgery comment. Like Lynne, Bill Coltart corrected me saying that it is not open heart but rather through a catheter. Have pfo corrections always been through catheters or was there a point in time when it was typically open heart?

---------- Post added June 20th, 2015 at 08:25 AM ----------

I don't mean to imply that Dr. Harrison goes around saying pfo correction requires open heart surgery. I think a more likely scenario is that Dale and I, in our medical ignorance, just assumed open heart after listening to the same lecture.

 

[DaleC]

I don't mean to imply that Dr. Harrison goes around saying pfo correction requires open heart surgery. I think a more likely scenario is that Dale and I, in our medical ignorance, just assumed open heart after listening to the same lecture.

Ditto that.

 

[PCoetzee]

I am also PFO negative! Deeper longer deeper longer deeper longer... (Knowledge provides a sense of peace.)

I think that PFO screening becomes more and more important the further you progress. When you start diving long deco times especially on helium mixes you introduce very thin gasses to the blood that will pass through a small hole in the heart much easier than nitrogen and ruin your day.

For normal recreational OW and OW Adv level diving it is debatably not necessary to know your status.

My advice and recommendation to students is to have it checked before enrolling on deco courses and before spending an additional fortune on technical diving equipment. It is also my opinion that a PFO screen should be mandatory before enrolling on deep Trimix courses.

---------- Post added June 25th, 2015 at 03:10 PM ----------

From a liability point of view I would rather recommend getting a PFO test than not. You have to be very responsible and cautious when giving advice about things like PFOs. Rather safe than sorry.