“Drive-By” Closure of Patent Foramen Ovale

In a retrospective, case-control series, repair of PFO found incidentally during cardiothoracic surgery conferred no short- or long-term benefit.

Cardiothoracic surgeons differ on whether to close a patent foramen ovale (PFO) discovered incidentally during cardiac surgery. Of 13,092 patients undergoing transesophageal echocardiography–assisted cardiac surgery (valve or coronary artery bypass graft) at the Cleveland Clinic between 1995 and 2006, 2277 (17%) had a PFO discovered intraoperatively, 639 of whom (28%) underwent PFO repair during the procedure.

Risk factors for stroke were similar between patients with and those without PFO. About 5% of patients with PFO also had atrial septal aneurysms. Patients who underwent PFO repair were younger on average than those who did not and were more likely to be women or to be undergoing mitral or tricuspid valve surgery. They were also more li…

Reviewing Author

Howard C. Herrmann, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardAffluent Medical; Artedrone; Caranx; Johnson & Johnson; Medtronic; Prolifagen; Wells Fargo

EquityMicrointerventional Devices, Inc.

RoyaltiesUniversity of Pennsylvania

Grant/Research SupportAbbott Vascular; Edwards Lifesciences; Johnson & Johnson; Medtronic

Editorial BoardsCatheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions; Journal of the American College of Cardiology; Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions; JACC Cardiovascular Interventions; JACC Case Reports; JSCAI

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesHeart Valve Collaboratory (Scientific Committee Member, Chair of the Publications Committee)