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Occupational Medicine Advance Access published online on February 1, 2008
Occupational Medicine, doi:10.1093/occmed/kqm161
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© The Author 2008. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

CASE REPORT

Atrial fibrillation in a commercial diver

Zarqa Taimur and Syed Hussaini

Dubai Petroleum—Occupational Health, Dubai 2222, United Arab Emirates

Background The torpedo ray is a fish with powerful electric organs, which can serve either as predatory tool or defensive weapon. The name comes from the Latin ‘torpere’, to be stiffened or paralysed, referring to the effect on someone who handles or steps on a living electric ray.

Aim To present an unusual case of atrial fibrillation due to electric shocks by the torpedo ray (electric ray).

Results A 42-year-old male commercial diver presented with atrial fibrillation after receiving repeated electric shocks from a torpedo ray while on routine diving operations. Such occurrences are extremely rare and we could find no documented case in the medical literature.

Conclusions Electric current can damage the body by disrupting electric rhythms, inducing muscular spasms and burns. In this case, we report atrial fibrillation in a diver exposed to repeated electric shocks from a torpedo ray.

Keywords      Atrial fibrillation; electric shock; torpedo ray

Correspondence to: Zarqa Taimur, Dubai Petroleum—Occupational Health, PO Box 2222 DP, Dubai 2222, United Arab Emirates. Tel: +9714 301 2579; fax: +9714 301 2144; e-mail: zarqa.s.taimur{at}dubaipetroleum.ae


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