Most people with a patent foramen ovale don't need treatment. Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a hole between your heart's upper chambers.Patent Foramen Ovale - Find a PCP or Specialist. Our Adult Congenital Heart Center in New York City is a pioneer in the treatment of stroke-related patent foramen ovale. Call today 212-305-6936. Patent foramen transcatheter repair is a procedure to fix this hole in the heart. Normally, the atrial septum separates the right and left atria. 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. A patent foramen ovale is a small, flaplike opening in the wall between the upper chambers of the heart.