In SW Florida, only Lee Health's specially trained physicians perform PFO repair. Call 239-445-4775 for more information.Your Florida Heart, Vein and Vascular Institute provider performs a minimally invasive catheter-based procedure to close the hole. In this procedure, the provider inserts a thin, flexible tube called a catheter into a blood vessel in the groin area. For children needing treatment for a PFO, we use cardiac catheterization to close the defect with a small device. Use a local anesthetic to numb the groin area where they'll insert the catheter. PFO closure is a procedure to seal the hole in the foramen ovale. Many people don't need treatment unless they're at risk of stroke or blood clots. The foramen ovale is a hole in the wall between the left and right atria of every human fetus. This hole allows blood to bypass the fetal lungs.