Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41674999›Full record

ArticleInterventional cardiology (London, England)2026

Long-term Echocardiographic Features After Percutaneous Closure of Patent Foramen Ovale.

Maja Rojko, Natasa Cernic Suligoj, Bojana Zvan, Metka Zorc, Saibal Kar, Marko Noc

Abstract read
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Article in Interventional cardiology (London, England), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

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2citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Maja RojkoMC Medicor International Center for Cardiovascular Diseases Izola, Slovenia.
Natasa Cernic SuligojMC Medicor International Center for Cardiovascular Diseases Izola, Slovenia.
Bojana ZvanMC Medicor International Center for Cardiovascular Diseases Izola, Slovenia.
Metka ZorcMC Medicor International Center for Cardiovascular Diseases Izola, Slovenia.
Saibal KarMC Medicor International Center for Cardiovascular Diseases Izola, Slovenia.
Marko NocMC Medicor International Center for Cardiovascular Diseases Izola, Slovenia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: There is a lack of studies systematically addressing long-term echocardiographic features after patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure. Thus, the present study investigated long-term echocardiographic features after percutaneous closure of PFO. Methods: This was a single-centre observational study based on the institutional registry of consecutive patients undergoing PFO closure. Clinical and echocardiographic features during the follow-up were investigated. Results: Between 2006 and 2023, 355 consecutive patients underwent PFO closure following transitory ischaemic attack (TIA) or cerebrovascular insult (CVI). Echocardiography immediately after the procedure and at 6 months was performed in 306 (86%) patients, who had repeat examinations at either between 1 and 5 years (median 1.32 years), between 5 and 10 years (median 7.10 years) or after 10 years (median 11.64 years). The percentage of patients with complete closure (no bubbles during the Valsalva manoeuvre) increased from 64% after the procedure to 80% at 6 months (p<0.05), and ranged between 77% and 81% thereafter (NS). Functional closure (≤10 bubbles) was observed in 93% of patients after the procedure and remained between 94% and 97% thereafter (NS). Except for decreased immediate complete closure (60% versus 83%; p<0.001), there was no difference between the Amplatzer PFO occluder and alternative devices. Among the 15 patients with greater than moderate residual shunt, reasons for the shunt were determined in 73% of patients and included leakage at the level of device, fenestration/atrial septal defect and pulmonary arteriovenous malformation. There was no late device embolisation, thrombus formation or pericardial effusion. Clinical follow-up revealed recurrent TIA and CVI rates of 0.11 and 0.06 per 100 patient-years, respectively. Conclusion: We demonstrated high (>90%) and persistent functional PFO closure beyond 10 years, independent of closure device. There was no late device embolisation, thrombus formation or pericardial effusion. Favourable echocardiographic features were associated with very low rates of recurrent TIA or CVI.

Indexed as

echocardiographyPatent foramen ovale closureresidual shunt

Identifiers

PMID41674999
PMCPMC12888103

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