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	Related conditions   - Cardiac arrest   - Atrial fibrillation   - Cardiomyopathy   - Heart attack   - Congestive heart failure   - Heart murmur   - Pericarditis   - High blood pressure   - Angina   - Aneurysm, aortic   - Arrhythmias
	Karen Yontz Center

Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) Closure

Patent foramen ovale is an opening between the right atrium and left atrium, the top chambers of the heart. This opening is present in all infants, but usually closes after birth. If it doesn't grow closed, it may allow blood to flow between the top chambers of the heart. Blood flow through the PFO is most likely to occur when more pressure is temporarily exerted in the chest, such as while coughing, sneezing or straining to pass a stool. Blood that flows through the PFO has not been cleansed or filled with oxygen by the lungs. As a result, debris in the blood (e.g. clots) can lodge in the brain, causing stroke, or in other areas of the heart, causing a heart attack.

Closing the PFO usually involves open-heart surgery with its associated risks and complications. Instead, many patients with a PFO are treated with blood thinners to prevent clots from forming. But continual use of blood thinners can cause other disorders within the body. A less-invasive procedure to close the PFO was developed in which a special device is passed through a thin, flexible tube (catheter) and navigated to the heart where it is put in place. While this was generally safer than open-heart surgery, results were mixed.

An improved version of the catheter procedure now used by Aurora physicians employs the CardioSEAL system, which has had more favorable results. The procedure is usually done on an outpatient basis and recovery time is minimal. A catheter is inserted through a tiny incision in the upper thigh and guided through the bloodstream to the PFO. An umbrella-like metal framework of polyester fabric is collapsed and navigated through the catheter. A framework is then deployed on each side of the PFO, and the catheter is removed.

Over time, heart tissue grows in and around the frameworks, helping to secure closure of the PFO. Not all patients are candidates for CardioSEAL, but it provides an alternative to open-heart surgery or life-long use of blood thinners.

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