Patent Foramen Ovale Closure In Georgia
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People who do not respond to medication may need a minimally invasive, catheter-based procedure. Your interventional cardiologist closes the PFO with a small closure device. This is done in a cardiac catheterization (cath) laboratory.
Treatment most often requires a procedure called cardiac catheterization, which is performed by a trained cardiologist to permanently seal the PFO.
If you were born with a hole in your heart that never closed, known as a patent foramen ovale (PFO), you may need a procedure to correct it. Penn Medicine cardiologists use interventional techniques to close a patent foramen ovale without opening your chest for surgery.
A healthcare provider may recommend a PFO closure procedure if: You've had a transient ischemic attack (TIA) more than once. You've had cryptogenic (from an unknown cause) strokes more than once. You have a low level of oxygen in your blood.
If a PFO exists, a little blood can flow between the atria. A robotic-assisted patent foramen ovale repair is a type of minimally invasive surgery. Minimally invasive means that the surgery uses smaller cuts (incisions) than a traditional open heart surgery. Recovery may be easier and faster.
A PFO closure is only utilized if a patient has experienced a stroke, and other causes of stroke and blood clots have been ruled out. A patient with a PFO without a history of stroke would not require a PFO closure and may continue to live a healthy life with this incidental finding.
During the procedure, an interventional cardiologist: Makes a tiny incision in your groin and inserts a catheter into a blood vessel. Uses ultrasound imaging to get a closer view of the PFO. May guide a deflated balloon through the catheter and move it to the PFO.
