Questions posted in the Heart Forum have been answered by doctors from The Cleveland Clinic Foundation.

Question Title: Patent Foramen Ovale Surgery

Forum: The Heart Forum
Topic: Congenital Heart

Posted by Bev on July 28, 1999 at 13:05:33

Thank you for your reply on the right to left shunt. The test showed none.
However my cardiologist said I have to close the PFO due to emboli crossing into my brain. I am wondering if a transcathter surgery can be used. I have read about it on the internet and this forum and it sounds
like it is used routinely for PFO closure. My doctor said "no" because the baloons migrate. I live in Hawaii and wondering is it just not done here?
Is it the preferred method for PFO closure? Is ther any reason I should not push for it? If I can't have that what about keyhole surgery? I can't
seem to feel at peace with open heart surgery just to fix something that may or may not be a big problem. Last question, are there any long term
complications from not closing a PFO as there are with a ASD, like CHF and PPH? Thank you for any advice.
Aloha, Bev

Posted by CCF CARDIO MD - DLB on July 29, 1999 at 16:04:03

Dear Bev

If you are having embolic events, these may continue to occur if the PFO is not closed. CHF and pulmonary hypertension would not be concerns unless the PFO was large or associated with shunting. We have devices that we use to close PFOs via catheters. This is only done at a few medical centers, and it might be that no place in Hawaii is doing it. Earlier generations of the closure device had problems with pieces of the device breaking off and causing a stroke or requiring open heart surgery to retrieve the device. Surgery is a valid option for closure of PFO, associated with very high success rates. Either approach is legitimate. In the future, I suspect the catheter based method will be the predominant way to close PFOs.

I hope this has been useful. I wish you the best of luck. Feel free to write back.

Information provided here is for general purposes only. Specific questions should be addressed to your own doctor. If you would like to make an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire online by using the Heart Center website at www.ccf.org/heartcenter. The Heart Center website contains a directory of the cardiology staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to address your cardiac problem.

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