Most people with Patent Foramen Ovale do not need treatment. 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 or PFO is a defect in the wall between the two upper chambers of the heart. Young patient at Texas Health Fort Worth deals with two medical procedures in a week's time to address patent foramen ovale. However, it may cause serious complications under certain circumstances. A patent foramen ovale occurs when a hole that is always present in a newborn's heart fails to close as it should once the lungs begin to function after birth. Most people with a patent foramen ovale don't need treatment. If you have a PFO and low blood oxygen levels or an unexplained stroke, you may need a procedure to close the hole. Discusses patent foramen ovale, which is an opening in the septum of the heart between the upper right and left chambers.