Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) Closure

A foramen ovale is a hole between two heart chambers that you’re born with. It normally closes after birth, but if it doesn’t, it’s called a patent foramen ovale. A PFO is usually harmless, but sometimes, a blood clot can pass through the hole, travel up to the brain and cause a stroke. In this case, your doctor at the Adventist HealthCare Heart & Vascular Institute at White Oak Medical Center may recommend closing the hole to prevent another stroke.

Do I Need PFO Closure?

After an ischemic stroke (a stroke caused by a blood clot), doctors sometimes recommend blood-thinning medications to limit clot formation. But medications aren’t always enough. PFO closure offers more protection by sealing off the hole in your heart that a clot could escape through. If a blood clot stays in your heart, it can’t travel to your brain and block the flow of blood and oxygen.

What to Expect

Your doctor will most likely close the PFO with a minimally invasive technique, not surgery. That means a faster, easier recovery with a lower risk of complications (side effects).

You’ll lie on a table while an interventional cardiologist makes a tiny incision over an artery in your upper thigh or wrist. The physician inserts a thin, soft tube called a catheter that carries a small device to "plug" the hole in your heart. The cardiologist guides it up to your heart muscle, places the device and then withdraws the catheter.

PFO closure usually takes less than two hours.

Recovery

You’ll need to stay in the hospital for one or two days so your doctor and nurses can monitor your health. When you’re ready to leave, you’ll receive instructions on how to take care of yourself at home, along with referrals for home care or cardiac rehabilitation, if necessary. You’ll also make a follow-up appointment with your cardiologist to make sure you heal well.