Update on the management of patent foramen ovale in 2017: Indication for closure and literature review

Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a common congenital abnormality with a high prevalence of approximately 25 % in the general population and an even higher incidence of about 40 % in the cryptogenic stroke population. PFO closure in cryptogenic stroke patients as a treatment modality for the secondary prevention of recurrent stroke has been much debated and studied. Several completed randomized clinical trials sought to answer the question of whether PFO closure is beneficial for cryptogenic stroke patients. Until the most recent of these trials, no significant benefit had been demonstrated. Based on newer evidence, in October 2016 the US Food and Drug Administration approved the first dedicated closure device for PFO. This review article describes the association between PFO and cryptogenic stroke, reviews current diagnostic modalities of PFO assessment, discusses management approaches, and reviews randomized clinical trials, practice guidelines, and consensus statements. Associations between PFO and other conditions such as migraine headaches, platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome, and decompression sickness in divers are also briefly reviewed.