A Clearinghouse for Information about Blood Clots (DVT/)PE) and Clotting Disorders (thrombophilia) provided as a public service by the University of North Carolina Blood Research Center

PFO (Patent Foramen Ovale)

A discussion of PFO and paradoxical embolism, written for patients, is available on the Clot Connect Patient blog- connect here.  The health care professional can refer his/her patient to the information on PFO in that blog . The blog also contains images suitable for patients to understand the etiology of  paradoxical embolism:

Figure 1. DVT and PE, no PFO present (graphic design Jeff Harrison, Wilmington, NC; ©Stephan Moll)
Figure 2. DVT, PFO, and paradoxical stroke (graphic design and © as above)

Last updated: Feb 14th, 2011

Clot Connect

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2 responses to “PFO (Patent Foramen Ovale)”

  1. case scenario with response request:
    36 yo white male, cryptogenic stroke and PFO and Factor V Leiden mutation; after closure of PFO, would you consider life long anti-coagulation? and if so, aspirin or coumadin?

    • To prevent recurrent stroke, I would give long-term aspirin; clearly not an anticoagulant. However, if there is evidence of a DVT, a decision on use of anticoagulants needs to be made to prevent recurrent VTE, and that decision would, of course, depend on whether the DVT was associated with a major transient risk factor or not. The fact that this patient has heterozygous factor V Leiden would likely not influence any of my decision making.