Abstract
Study design:
Case report.
Objectives:
To describe the case of a spinal cord injury patient that went scuba diving resulting in a mechanical deformation of his intrathecal baclofen pump.
Setting:
University Hospitals Leuven, Belgium.
Methods:
Case report.
Results:
Diving below 10 meters of depth can result in irreversible mechanical damage of the drug reservoir of an intrathecal baclofen pump.
Conclusion:
Patients with an intrathecal baclofen pump should be warned for the risks associated with scuba diving and should not dive more than 10 meters below sea level.
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References
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Plassat R, Verbe BP, Menei P, Menegalli D, Mathé JF, Richard I . Treatment of spasticity with intrathecal baclofen administration: long-term follow-up, review of 40 patients. Spinal Cord 2004; 42: 686–693.
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Draulans, N., Roels, E., Kiekens, C. et al. Permanent mechanical deformation of an intrathecal baclofen pump secondary to scuba diving: a case report. Spinal Cord 51, 868–869 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/sc.2013.43
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sc.2013.43
