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Echocardiographically guided closure of a patent foramen ovale during pregnancy after recurrent strokes
I Daehnert1, P Ewert, F Berger
1Abteilung für Angeborene Herzfehler, Deutsches Herzzentrum Berlin, Germany. ingodaehnert@yahoo.de
Background:
Stroke during pregnancy and puerperium is a severe complication that causes high morbidity and mortality. A patent foramen ovale (PFO) allowing paradoxical embolism is one identified risk factor.
Case:
A 25-year-old pregnant woman with PFO suffered from recurrent cerebral embolism. To prevent recurrent cerebral embolism during pregnancy, delivery, and puerperium, interventional closure of the PFO was performed without fluoroscopy under echocardiographic guidance. The postinterventional course was uneventful.
Conclusion:
Percutaneous transvenous closure of a PFO during pregnancy is feasible without the use of fluoroscopy.
