Background and Purpose—No studies have yet determined whether antiplatelet or anticoagulant therapy is the more appropriate treatment after transcatheter closure of patent foramen ovale (PFO) in patients with cryptogenic stroke. The objective of this study was to prospectively evaluate the presence, degree, and timing of activation of the platelet and coagulation systems after transcatheter clo...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Patent foramen ovale (PFO) has been identified as a potential risk factor for cerebrovascular ischemia. Procoagulant mutations may increase the risk and impact the choice of appropriate therapy for secondary prevention. We evaluated the prevalence of the 2 most common genetic risk factors for thromboembolism, factor V Leiden (G1691A) and prothrombin G20210A, in young PFO ...

BACKGROUND Patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure has emerged as a secondary prevention option in patients with PFO and cryptogenic stroke. However, the comparative efficacy and safety of percutaneous closure and medical therapy in patients with cryptogenic stroke and PFO remain unclear. METHODS Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and comparative observational studies that compared PFO closure ag...

Our aim was to quantify the end-tidal-to-arterial gas gradients for O2 (PET-PaO2) and CO2 (Pa-PETCO2) during a CO2 reactivity test to determine their influence on the cerebrovascular (CVR) and ventilatory (HCVR) response in subjects with (PFO+, n = 8) and without (PFO-, n = 7) a patent foramen ovale (PFO). We hypothesized that 1) the Pa-PETCO2 would be greater in hypoxia compared with normoxia,...

Patent Foramen Ovale and Stroke To the Editor: I wish to congratulate the authors of the current “Controversies in Stroke” on their critical discussion of secondary prevention in patients with patent foramen ovale (PFO) and cryptogenic stroke.1–3 In the absence of definitive data in this scenario, they focus a large part of their discussion on the possible treatment options quoting the 2 most c...

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to examine a cohort of patients who had suffered an arterial embolism to see whether a patent foramen ovale (PFO) was an identifiable cause. DESIGN This study was conducted in two parts; a retrospective limb involving an audit of patient records over a period of 10 years, and a prospective limb including selected patients from that audit to search for a PF...

BACKGROUND We investigated the safety, feasibility and efficacy of the Occlutech devices for patent foramen ovale (PFO) and atrial septal defect (ASD) closure in a prospective trial. METHODS The retention discs of the PFO device (23 x 25 mm, 27 x 30 mm) are connected by a 3 mm waist in the center with only one right atrial side central pin. The left atrial disc is produced either with a singl...

n the third century (1,2) of arguing whether a patent foramen vale (PFO), caught repeatedly in the act of begetting paraoxical thromboembolism (PTE) (3–5), poses a significant hreat, some facts seem straightforward; some do not. A FO is required before birth. The fetal right ventricle is not apable of pumping all of the blood through the collapsed ungs. Birth changes this, as the passage throug...

Perfluorooctanoate (PFO) is the anion of perfluorooctanoic acid. As the ammonium salt, PFO has been used for 50 years as a processing aid in the commercial production of perfluorinated and highly fluorinated polymers. To assess the effectiveness of industrial hygiene controls in processes involving PFO products and intermediates, a wipe test was developed and validated to determine quantitative...