Creating a small incision in the groin, a catheter is guided to the heart and the closure device is carefully placed to close the hole from both sides. 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 PFO closure is a procedure that can help lower the risk of a stroke for some people. You can do light activities around your home. But don't do anything strenuous until your doctor says it is okay. 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. Your patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure was done to close a small hole in the area that separates the upper right and left chambers (atria) of the heart. The foramen ovale usually closes after birth.