Patent foramen ovale

	Patent Foramen Ovale Microchapters
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Natural History, Complications and Prognosis PFO and Stroke
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editors-In-Chief: Priyamvada Singh, M.B.B.S. [[2]]; Cafer Zorkun, M.D., Ph.D. [3]; Assistant Editor-In-Chief: Kristin Feeney, B.S. [[4]]

Synonyms and Keywords: patent foramen, PFO, probe patent PFO

Natural History, Complications, and Prognosis

Clinically it is linked to decompression sickness, paradoxical embolism and migraine. There is a debate within the neurology and cardiology communities about the role of a PFO in cryptogenic stroke neurologic events, e.g. strokes and transient ischemia attacks (TIAs) without any other potential cause. On echocardiography, there may not be any shunting of blood noted except when the patient coughs.