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Updated: May 13, 2026

Closure of a Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO): An Intervention Sequence
10:52

Closure of a Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO): An Intervention Sequence

Published on: December 23, 2022

Patent foramen ovale and migraine: what is the relationship between the two?

Sivarani Sathasivam1, Sivakumar Sathasivam

  • 1Department of Cardiology, University of Malaya Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. s sathasivam@hotmail.com

Journal of Cardiology
|March 15, 2013
PubMed

Insights

The link between patent foramen ovale (PFO) and migraine remains unclear, with current evidence suggesting PFO closure is not a standard migraine treatment. Further research is needed to clarify this debated relationship.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Cardiology
  • Medical Devices

Background:

  • Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a cardiac anomaly with debated links to neurological conditions.
  • Migraine is a common neurological disorder with complex and multifactorial etiologies.
  • Conflicting evidence exists regarding the causal role of PFO in migraine pathophysiology.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the pathophysiological relevance of PFO in migraine.
  • To examine epidemiological evidence linking PFO to migraine.
  • To assess the effectiveness of PFO closure on migraine symptomatology.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic literature review of existing studies.
  • Analysis of pathophysiological mechanisms connecting PFO and migraine.
  • Evaluation of clinical trial data on PFO closure for migraine.

Main Results:

  • The pathophysiological link between PFO and migraine is not definitively established.
  • Epidemiological data supporting a causal relationship between PFO and migraine is inconsistent.
  • Evidence for the efficacy of PFO closure in improving migraine symptoms is currently limited and debated.

Conclusions:

  • The role of PFO in migraine etiology is considered debatable.
  • Interventions like PFO closure are not yet recommended as routine migraine treatment.
  • Further high-quality research is required to elucidate the PFO-migraine connection.

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