Patent foramen ovale
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Patent Foramen Ovale Microchapters |
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Patent foramen ovale On the Web |
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American Roentgen Ray Society Images of Patent foramen ovale |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editors-In-Chief: Priyamvada Singh, M.B.B.S. [[2]]; Cafer Zorkun, M.D., Ph.D. [3]; Assistant Editor-In-Chief: Kristin Feeney, B.S. [[4]]
Synonyms and Keywords: patent foramen, PFO, probe patent PFO
Overview
Embryology
The presence of a patent foramen ovale is due to failure of fusion between the septum primum and the septum secundum.
Epidemiology and Demographics
Risk Factors
Genetics may play a role in the development of a patent foramen ovale insofar as the disorder has been found to occur with an increased frequency in families.
Pathophysiology
Natural History, Complications, and Prognosis
Clinically it is linked to decompression sickness, paradoxical embolism and migraine. There is a debate within the neurology and cardiology communities about the role of a PFO in cryptogenic stroke neurologic events, e.g. strokes and transient ischemia attacks (TIAs) without any other potential cause. On echocardiography, there may not be any shunting of blood noted except when the patient coughs.