Echocardiographically guided closure of a patent foramen ovale during pregnancy after recurrent strokes.
BACKGROUND
Stroke during pregnancy and puerperium is a severe complication that causes high morbidity and mortality. A patent foramen ovale (PFO) allowing paradoxical embolism is one identified risk factor.


METHODS
A 25-year-old pregnant woman with PFO suffered from recurrent cerebral embolism. To prevent recurrent cerebral embolism during pregnancy, delivery, and puerperium, interventional closure of the PFO was performed without fluoroscopy under echocardiographic guidance. The postinterventional course was uneventful.


CONCLUSIONS
Percutaneous transvenous closure of a PFO during pregnancy is feasible without the use of fluoroscopy.
Daehnert
I
I
Abteilung für Angeborene Herzfehler, Deutsches Herzzentrum Berlin, Germany. ingodaehnert@yahoo.de
Ewert
P
P
Berger
F
F
Lange
P E
PE
D000328:Adult; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D004452:Echocardiography; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic / Q000295:instrumentation; D005260:Female; D006344:Heart Septal Defects, Atrial / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D020766:Intracranial Embolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000628:therapy*; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D012008:Recurrence; D020521:Stroke