Percutaneous treatment of patent foramen ovale and atrial septal defects

Percutaneous treatment of inter-atrial septal defects has undergone exponential growth in the past 2 decades. Improved percutaneous devices and interventional techniques with low complication rates make this procedure an attractive therapeutic option for congenital atrial septal defects (ASD). Although indications for catheter-based ASD closure are well-documented, those for catheter-based patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure are still evolving. Results from 2 randomized clinical trials question the benefit of percutaneous PFO closure, but concern has also been raised about the efficacy of the device used in those trials. This review will focus on the anatomy, associated syndromes, detection, and data for percutaneous closure of both PFOs and ASDs.