title: Percutaneous PFO closure for the prevention of recurrent brain abscess.
abstract: A patent foramen ovale (PFO) can act as a conduit between the venous and arterial circulations, allowing right-to-left shunting and bypass of the pulmonary circulation. Brain abscess may develop as a result of paradoxical embolism of organisms through a PFO. In this small series, we report on the closure of PFO for the prevention of recurrent brain abscess. Only prospective, randomized trials comparing PFO closure to conservative therapy could provide a definitive answer as to the optimal strategy for preventing recurrent cerebral abscess.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA. mp1215@med.nyu.edu
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: LaBarbera
authors.forename: M Joshua
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Berkowitz
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Slater
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001922:Brain Abscess / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000601:surgery; D019320:Embolism, Paradoxical / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006344:Heart Septal Defects, Atrial / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation; D034367:Streptococcus intermedius / Q000472:pathogenicity*