title: Patent foramen ovale management: who should do what?
abstract: Although definitive evidence of effectiveness of percutaneous patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure is still debated and closure seems to be recommendable only for secondary prevention of stroke, many different specialists may be involved in diagnosis and treatment of the different PFO-related syndromes. When many different professionals are involved in the same patient management, confusion about who does make the diagnosis and who does take decision about medical or interventional therapy would be frequent and correct judgment and actions would be delayed. The authors propose a model of multidisciplinary protocol to manage PFO-related syndrome, in which each specialists has a specific role during the decision-making process that is driven by the cardiologist.
authors.affiliation: Interventional Cardiology Unit, Division of Cardiology, Rovigo General Hospital, Rovigo, Italy. jackyheart@hotmail.com
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rigatelli
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cardaioli
mesh_terms: D013504:Cardiovascular Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D002985:Clinical Protocols / Q000592:standards*; D003951:Diagnostic Errors / Q000517:prevention & control*; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D006344:Heart Septal Defects, Atrial / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000592:standards*; D012120:Respiration Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D012985:Software Design; D020521:Stroke / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control