Diventures Magazine | English Edition May 2020 | Page 9

“They are probably lifelong patients,” he
said. “As an emergency doctor with 20
years’ experience, you gulp when you
see something like this in a 40-year-old
patient.”
Two of the divers showed significant
oxygen deficiency when under stress,
normally a sign of persistent lung shunt.
using elevated levels of oxygen, such as
usually observed in asthmatics, and in when using nitrox, suggesting that this
four cases the scans revealed such could be dangerous if the lung tissue
significant changes to the lungs that Dr was still sensitive.
Hartig had to check with the X-ray And he said that any coronavirus
department that the files hadn’t been patients hoping to dive again in the
mixed up. short term should be very cautious,
The doctor said he wanted to issue a because scientific studies would not be
warning to all divers because, while he available before 2021.
couldn’t tell how long the effects would
last, he found it difficult to believe that
his patients’ lungs could heal completely.
“After a Covid infection, even if you have
had only mild symptoms and your
medical certification to dive is still valid,
you should definitely have a diving
doctor examine you thoroughly before
diving again,” he said.
Dr Hartig also cautioned against diving
5 th ISSUE
DIVENTURES MAGAZINE
Two displayed the kind of symptoms