CIRCULATING BUBBLES AND BREATH-HOLD UNDERWATER FISHING DIVERS - A 2-DIMENSIONAL ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY AND CONTINUOUS-WAVE DOPPLER STUDY

Since the 1960s, decompression illness after breath-hold diving has be en widely debated. The aim of this study was to detect circulating bub bles after breath-hold diving in underwater fishing divers. We used co ntinuous Doppler (DUG, COMEX Pro) and transthoracic two-dimensional (2 D) echocardiography (Kontron Sigma 1). This study was conducted during a training course organized by the French Federation of Subaquatic Sp orts at Minorca (Balearic Islands). Ten breath-hold divers performed r epeated breath-hold dives for periods ranging from 2 to 6 h [mean maxi mum depth 35 meters of seawater (msw)]. A dive computer (Maestro Pro B euchat, analyst PC interface) was used to record diving patterns. No c irculating bubbles were detected in the right heart cavities (2D echoc ardiography) or in the pulmonary artery (continuous Doppler). However, this study had some limits: only 10 subjects were studied and the ear liest detection was 3 min after immersion, further studies will thus b e required.