[Transcatheter closure of patent foramen ovale in patients with platypnea-orthodeoxia]

Platypnea-orthodeoxia is a rare syndrome characterized by the occurrence of dyspnea and hypoxemia on adoption of an upright posture (i.e., orthodeoxia) and by the absence of symptoms and hypoxemia in decubitus. This syndrome is frequently related to patent foramen ovale and right-to-left shunting. We describe two patients in whom patent foramen ovale with right-to-left shunting was observed on transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography and who had platypnea-orthodeoxia in the absence of pulmonary disease. They underwent transcatheter closure using an Amplatz device. The echocardiographic diagnosis and closure procedure are discussed. These case reports demonstrate that closure of patent foramen ovale is an effective treatment for platypnea-orthodeoxia.