A patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a hole in the heart that doesn’t close as expected after birth. Before a baby is born, they have a hole between the left and right sides of their heart. This hole, ...

This Journal feature begins with a case vignette highlighting a common clinical problem. Evidence supporting various strategies is then presented, followed by a review of formal guidelines, when they ...

Patent foramen ovale (PFO) has been linked to ischemic strokes of undetermined cause (cryptogenic strokes). PFO—a remnant of fetal circulation when the foramen ovale does not seal after birth—can ...

Studies to date have shown an association between the presence of patent foramen ovale and cryptogenic stroke in patients younger than 55 years of age. This association has not been established in ...

A “dose-response” relationship may exist between migraine and patent foramen ovale (PFO), according to a review published in Frontiers in Neurology. According to the American Heart Association, a PFO ...

A patent foramen ovale (PFO) is the persistence of an opening (the foramen ovale) in the septum between the right atrium and left atrium of the heart. In the fetus, the foramen ovale allows blood to ...

Before birth, the fetal heart has an opening called the foramen ovale between the right and left atria. This allows blood to bypass the lungs and be directed straight to the left side of the ...

A patent foramen ovale or PFO is a defect in the wall between the two upper chambers of the heart. This defect is actually an incomplete closure of the atrial wall that results in a flap or valve-like ...

A patent foramen ovale is an opening that some adults have between the top two chambers of their hearts. Everyone has this opening early in life, but it often seals during infancy. In some people, ...