Percutaneous Closure Versus Medical Treatment in Stroke Patients With Patent Foramen Ovale: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Meta-analysis of 5RCTs concludes that compared with medical treatment, patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure prevents recurrent stroke and transient ischemic attack but increases the incidence of atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter in PFO carriers with cryptogenic stroke.

This is one of two meta-analyses evaluating surgical closure vs medical therapy.

 

In a related editorial, the author advises caution that these findings cannot be extrapolated to patients who have not yet had a stroke, even if patients might have a predisposing condition, such as a hypercoagulable state.