Editorial
How should patients with patent foramen ovale be managed?
| The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below. |
The development of percutaneous devices capable of closing atrial septal defects has led to renewed debate about optimal management of patients with patent foramen ovale (PFO). Echocardiography has made diagnosing PFO routine, but in most patients appropriate management, including the role of device closure, remains a matter of speculation.
Anatomy and prevalenceDuring infancy, fibrous adhesions usually seal the atrial septum, but occasionally it does not seal completely, giving rise to a patent foramen ovale (PFO). In some individuals, excess atrial septal tissue in the region of the fossa ovalis causes increased movement of the septum during respiration. When excursion is greater than 10 mm this appearance is classified as an atrial septal "aneurysm", which can occur in isolation, or in combination with a PFO.1
PFO is a common finding in the normal healthy population. A necropsy
study of 965 normal human hearts showed an overall prevalence of 27%,
with no sex
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- Clinical and functional relevance of PFO relates to size
- Mark Turner, et al.
- Online, 5 Apr 2001 [Full text]
- Clinical and functional relevance of PFO relates to size - Authors' response
- Adrian Banning
- Online, 5 Apr 2001 [Full text]
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