Prolonged Stroke After SCUBA Dive?

[shmackles]

hi there
information concerning strokes (in scuba diving) seem to state that the stroke happens immediately on or after the dive.
is there any evidence that the stroke can be prolonged.....for example ,can a diver have a dive then one month after have a stroke that can possibly be linked to that dive?
any help would be appreciated
regards

 

[Jim Lapenta]

While you use the word stroke the proper term when related to scuba is usually an air embolism. THey can appear the same as to possible effects but one is caused by an air bubble entering the blood stream and the other by a blood clot. The actual docs on here can better answer as to delayed onset but everything I've read or seen says the effects are right now. I have a good friend here on the board who is still feeling the effects of an embolism over a year later. That they survived at all is a miracle and is testimony to having knowledgeable people on board the boat and excellent medical care. Many times an embolism while diving is fatal. I don't know if it's medically possible to walk around with an air bubble in your blood stream.

 

[TSandM]

I think I can say with confidence that a medical event that occurs over a month after a dive, assuming an asymptomatic period in between the dive and the event, is not dive-related.

 

[ScubaDocER]

Jim is correct in that typically an embolism related to diving is caused by air rather than a blood clot. It is still possible to have a blood clot move to the brain during diving and cause a stroke. That is probably a coincidence rather than a diving related event, meaning that it could occur with any stress related activity rather than occurring during or related to depth. The cause of an air embolism resulting in a stroke is related to the presence of air bubbles that obstruct blood flow. When the bubble either shrinks, moves on, or dissipates, then the obstruction is relieved and blood flow is returned. The concern is for the amount of damage that occurred during the interruption of blood flow. I don't believe that an air bubble would remain for a month after a diving incident. If someone, however, had stroke symptoms immediately after diving, they may persist for months to years. It depends on how much cerebral damage was done and whether or not the brain is able to compensate. If your question is whether someone can be completely asymptomatic for one month after a dive, suddenly develop stroke symptoms, and ask is that related to the previous months dive, then I would say no. Sorry for the run on sentence

 

[Dr Deco]

Hello schmackles:

I am assuming that you are referring to an arterial gas embolism when you refer to scuba diving and "stroke. A gas embolism really appears within a few minutes of the bubbles entering the arterial blood stream. If there are only a few, they might pass through the capillaries and produce little to no effect. If there are many, they will begin to clog the brain capillaries and a noticeable effect will result. Something of this nature will not appear hours later.

A true stoke, on the other hand, is from a blood clot, and can appear at any time. Scuba divers could possibly get a stroke [clot] and mistake it for a diving-related event.



Dr Deco :doctor:

 

[ScubaDocER]

Hello schmackles:



A true stoke, on the other hand, is from a blood clot, and can appear at any time. Scuba divers could possibly get a stroke [clot] and mistake it for a diving-related event.



Dr Deco :doctor:

A true stroke can actually exist in a few forms. The most common for is an embolic stroke. This occurs when a blood clot in the body moves from a distant location into the cerebral blood flow system and obstructs blood flow to the area distal or down stream from the clot.

Strokes can also be hemorrhagic. This occurs when one of the blood vessels in the brain ruptures and causes blood to leak into either the brain itself, or around the brain causing a compressive effect.

Strokes can also be ischemic. This occurs when there is not enough blood flowing into the brain (from dehydration for example) and the brain tissue dies from lack oxygen and nutrients to the brain itself.

While this information may not be of immediate concern for divers at the time, it may affect how the diver is managed once he/she presents to an Emergency Department for management and treatment.

 

[shmackles]

hi
thank you so much for that information.
it was greatly appreciated and helpfull!

 

[shmackles]

thanks for your time!
it was very helpful information!
shmackles