Patent foramen ovale closure. Pro and cons

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Neurology
• Medical Devices

Background:

• Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a cardiac lesion that may be associated with cryptogenic stroke.
• Mechanical closure of PFO is considered a primary treatment by many clinicians for patients experiencing cryptogenic stroke.
• There has been significant technological advancement in percutaneous techniques for PFO closure.

Purpose of the Study:

• To discuss the current landscape of percutaneous patent foramen ovale closure.
• To highlight the need for evidence-based indications before widespread PFO closure.
• To review the ongoing development of novel and safer PFO closure devices.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature and technological advancements in PFO closure devices.
• Discussion of the ideal characteristics of future PFO closure devices.
• Consideration of ongoing randomized trials comparing medical and percutaneous closure approaches.

Main Results:

• Interest in percutaneous PFO closure is increasing due to technological advancements.
• Development of new devices with minimal metal components or biodegradable materials is underway.
• Randomized trials are ongoing but require large patient enrollment due to low event rates.

Conclusions:

• Establishing evidence-based indications for PFO closure is crucial.
• The development of safer, more effective, and reliable PFO closure devices is a priority.
• As device safety and efficacy improve, the threshold for percutaneous PFO closure is likely to decrease.