Patent foramen ovale (patient information)

Patent foramen ovale
Overview
What are the symptoms?
What are the causes?
Who is at highest risk?
When to seek urgent medical care?
Diagnosis
Treatment options
Where to find medical care for Patent foramen ovale?
What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?
Possible complications
Prevention
Patent foramen ovale On the Web
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US National Guidelines Clearinghouse
NICE Guidance
FDA on Patent foramen ovale
CDC on Patent foramen ovale
Patent foramen ovale in the news
Blogs on Patent foramen ovale
Directions to Hospitals Treating Patent foramen ovale
Risk calculators and risk factors for Patent foramen ovale

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editors-In-Chief: Priyamvada Singh, M.B.B.S. [2]; Assistant Editor-In-Chief: Kristin Feeney, B.S. [3]

Overview

While a baby grows in the womb, there is a normal opening between the left and right atria (upper chambers) of the heart. If this opening fails to close naturally soon after the baby is born, the hole is called patent foramen ovale (PFO).

Where to find medical care for an Patent foramen ovale?

Directions to hospitals treating Patent foramen ovales

Prevention

There is no known way to prevent the defect, but some of the complications can be prevented with early detection.