Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO)

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added:
13 years ago
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10269
specialty:
Cardiology

Case description

Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a flaplike opening between the atrial septa primum and secundum at the location of the fossa ovalis that persists after age 1 year. Very rarely, people with PFOs may have a higher rate of a certain type of stroke (called paradoxical thromboembolic stroke). In a paradoxical stroke, a blood clot that develops in a vein (often leg veins) breaks free and travels to the right side of the heart. Normally, this clot would then continue to the lungs, but in someone with a PFO, the clot could pass through the hole to the left side of the heart. It may then be pumped out to the body, travel to the brain and become stuck there, preventing blood flow to that part of the brain (stroke).

tags: PFO echocardiography patent foramen ovale


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