Yes, this is the mechanism that does it, and unfortunately is what allows
for the dive industry's RJ Reynolds twist of the facts. Most PFO's require
the bubbles to raise the pressure to open the flap, so many people can do
hundreds or even thousands of dives without consequence, and then end up in
a wheelchair . The morons at DAN call that an "unearned hit". I call it
lying and denial. 30% of us have it. Do you feel lucky? Well do ya?

-----Original Message-----
From: Rodriguez [mailto:mikey@ma*.co*]
Sent: Friday, June 08, 2001 1:09 AM
To: Wendell Grogan
Cc: Trey; Bruce Sherman; Quest@Gu*. Com; Techdiver List
Subject: Re: Not opening PFO's, waqs RE: Repairing PFO's


At 09:17 PM 6/7/2001 -0400, Wendell Grogan wrote:

>Sure, that's the point behind not exerting yourself for a while after
>the in water part of your off gassing.  Until you stop bubbling,
>anything you do that causes a rise in chest cavity pressure- bending and
>lifting, straining, etc- can open the PFO and shunt bubbles into your
>brain.

Unfortunately for those with PFO, a rise in pulmonary arterial pressure,
and retrograde rise in right atrial pressure secondary to the pulmonary
embolization of nitrogen/helium bubbles at the alveolar-capillary
complex would also cause right-to-left shunting through the PFO - no
exertion required.

All the more reason to get tested if you're doing technical diving.

-Mike Rodriguez
<mikey@mi*.ne*>
http://www.mikey.net/scuba
Pn(x) = (1/(2^n)n!)[d/dx]^n(x^2 - 1)^n

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