Pregnant and now diagnosed as having a PFO

I am 24 wks pregnant and have just been told i have a PFO and it needs closing.  I have been having a few episodes of going blind in my left eye, numbness in my fingers on the left hand side and breathlessness.  I have been having these symptoms for some time now but put it down to pregnancy as i also have a 9 month old so have been pregnant constantly for nearly15 months!

I am going to see the consultant next Monday but can anyone tell me what to expect?  They found out i had this after a heart scan and bubbles were flushed into my heart and the it needs fixing before i go into labour......why is this??  What will the operation involve?  

Thanks to anyone who can provide me with some more information

[kenkeith]

PFO is an opening in the heart, which doesn't close completely after birth. The opening can permit unfiltered blood and clots to travel to the eyes, heart and brain. There are reports after given aspirin and plavax to take daily to help thin the blood all symptoms can vanish.

PFO is an opening that should close after birth.  The opening permits the shunting of blood blood from the left to right side of the heart, and if the pressure is abnomally high in th right side, the blood going to the left side hasn't been filtered and oxygneated through the lungs, and this contaminated blood gets into the blood stream and the debris can cause blockage of the blood flow to vital organs. When coughing or sneezing there can be right to left shunting.

The Cleveland Clinic uses a catheter  to guide through a major artery to the heart wall and the placement of a patent foramen ovale closure device - which becomes a permanent and implant - that will close the hole in the heart wall.

Hope this helps and if you have any further questions or comments you are welcome to respond.  I wish you well going forward and thanks for sharing.  Take care,

Ken

[Missessex]

thankyou for your response, your explanation of a PFO is brilliant! I now need to know what happens next as i'm pegnant?  Has anyone any experiance of this during pregnancy?
Thanks

[kenkeith]

I am sure you can get helpful information from another forum with mother's who have experience medical concerns and can share their experience. I am providing a link.  Thank you, take care,

Ken

http://www.medhelp.org/forums/Pediatric-Cardiology/show/302