Patent Foramen Ovale Closure Devices Moving Beyond Equipoise

摘要

Approximately 700 000 strokes occur annually in the United States, and in more than one third of these cases, the etiology is unknown or cryptogenic. A PFO is a persistent opening between the right and left atrium. In most individuals, this opening "closes" spontaneously shortly after birth. However, in as many as 25% of the general population, including those without a history of thromboembolic events, the opening persists.