Abstract
A fit young man sustained a ruptured diaphragm during a recreational scuba dive three months after undergoing an uncomplicated laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication for gastro-oesophageal reflux disease. It is proposed that this rare occurrence was attributable to gastrointestinal barotrauma. The injury was treated by laparotomy, mobilisation of herniated abdominal viscera back into the abdomen, repair of the crura and gastropexy. He made a full postoperative recovery. It is concluded that scuba diving should be avoided in patients who have undergone fundoplication.
Full Text
The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (67.9 KB).
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Edmonds C., Thomas R. L. Medical aspects of diving--3. Med J Aust. 1972 Dec 2;2(23):1300–1304. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Eidsvik S., Molvaer O. I. Facial baroparesis: a report of five cases. Undersea Biomed Res. 1985 Dec;12(4):459–463. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Hinder R. A., Filipi C. J., Wetscher G., Neary P., DeMeester T. R., Perdikis G. Laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication is an effective treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease. Ann Surg. 1994 Oct;220(4):472–483. doi: 10.1097/00000658-199410000-00006. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Melamed Y., Shupak A., Bitterman H. Medical problems associated with underwater diving. N Engl J Med. 1992 Jan 2;326(1):30–35. doi: 10.1056/NEJM199201023260105. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Molenat F. A., Boussuges A. H. Rupture of the stomach complicating diving accidents. Undersea Hyperb Med. 1995 Mar;22(1):87–96. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Myrvold H. E. Laparoscopic antireflux surgery; the merits and problems. Ann Med. 1995 Feb;27(1):29–33. doi: 10.3109/07853899509031933. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
