title: Patent foramen ovale closure with the BioSTAR bioabsorbable implant.
abstract: The authors present the case of a 35-year-old woman admitted to her local hospital with right upper limb paresis, which led to a diagnosis of ischemic stroke, confirmed by brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Investigation of the embolic source by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) revealed a patent foramen ovale (PFO), with spontaneous right-to-left shunt. In May 2009 percutaneous closure of the PFO was performed with a BioSTAR bioabsorbable implant, under TEE and fluoroscopic control. Transthoracic echocardiography was performed one, three and six months after the procedure, and TEE was repeated after nine months, in each case showing correct implant positioning, with no residual leak. The patient has been asymptomatic since the stroke episode. The authors discuss the importance of bioabsorbable implants for PFO closure, and their advantages over the previously used permanent synthetic implants.
authors.affiliation: Serviço de Cardiologia, Hospital de Santa Marta, Centro Hospitalar de Lisboa Central, Lisboa, Portugal. joaopedrolopes@sapo.pt
authors.forename: João Pedro
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.forename: Lídia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.forename: António
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fiarresga
authors.forename: Filipa
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Galrinho
authors.forename: José Diogo
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Agapito
authors.forename: Fátima F
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ferreira
mesh_terms: D020341:Absorbable Implants; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D054092:Foramen Ovale, Patent / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D055989:Septal Occluder Device