title: Current status of percutaneous PFO closure.
abstract: The clinical significance of persistent patent foramen ovale (PFO) is not well defined. Empirically, PFO has been associated with many clinical conditions. In cryptogenic stroke, migraine, and orthodeoxia/platypnea, a plausible biologic mechanism exists to support PFO closure as a possible treatment. Although transcatheter closure of PFO has been available for over 2 decades, it has remained controversial due to a paucity of evidence to guide patient and device selection. Contemporary studies investigating PFO closure as treatment for patients with these conditions have been published recently and longitudinal data regarding the safety and efficacy of the devices is now available. In this review, we aim to describe the potential clinical significance of a patent foramen in the adult, appraise the newest additions to the body of evidence, and discuss the safety, benefit, patient selection, and future of transcatheter treatment of PFO.
authors.affiliation: Duke University Medical Center, 3331 DUMC, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rohrhoff
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Vavalle
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Halim
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Kiefer
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Harrison
mesh_terms: D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D002983:Clinical Competence; D005260:Female; D054092:Foramen Ovale, Patent / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D018579:Patient Selection; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D055989:Septal Occluder Device; D020521:Stroke / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D015996:Survival Rate; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome