A patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a hole between the heart's upper chambers (the left and right atria) that failed to close after birth. A patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a hole in the heart that doesn't close.It can increase your stroke risk, but we offer highly effective treatments. Patent foramen ovale - Find primary care providers or specialists in South Bend, Granger, Elkhart, Bremen or LaPorte. Patent foramen ovale repair: also called a PFO closure, is a procedure that's done to close the flap in the wall of the atrial septum. Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) Physicians: Stanley Joseph Chetcuti MD, Interventional Cardiology, Cardiovascular Disease, Internal Medicine. A patent foramen ovale (PFO) occurs when the flap-like opening does not close. A patent foramen ovale is a small, flaplike opening in the wall between the upper chambers of the heart. 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.