Patent Foramen Ovale: The Hole in the Heart that is Nothing to Worry About, Usually

Patent Foramen Oveales (PFOs) are a condition that results from a valve shaped hole in the heart not closing properly after the hole is no longer needed for proper oxygen circulation of the fetus in the womb does not close properly. It occurs in approximately twenty five percent of people. Normally no problems are associated with the valve shaped hole, but PFOs have been linked to aura migraines and an increased risk of stroke. It may cause problems for small children, but this is true generally only if other heart defects are present.

For mot people there will be no danger from this condition, but if an increased risk of stroke is indicated a surgeon may choose to graft a hole into the heart to cause the blood flow to stop between the chambers. The danger is from contaminated blood coming through the opening perhaps caused by a cough or similar spasm that contains blood contaminated with a clot or other substance.

The heart defect is most often linked to the aura type of migraine. For aura migraine sufferers there is off some sort of visual clue that they are about to experience that type of headache, either blinking zig-zag lines or blotting out of vision.

A PFO can be detected with an endiocardiogram, and if there should the patient be put at risk of stroke there are several ways of fixing it, including a new patch that mimics the body's natural healing process developed in England earlier this year. A non surgical procudure invovling a cardiac implant may be used, or surgery using a device that looks something like your standard umbrella may be inserted. In the non-surgical procedure, catheters are inserted into the patients groin with the with the cardiac implant. Once the catheter - usually attaches with some sort of device for surveilance reaches the area of the heart where the pfo can be found, the cardiologist will determine whether or not the patient can qualify for this device. If all goes well, the device will be inserted. If not, surgery may be the case.

The condition may be common enough that one out of four people may have such a hole in their heart, but it is far less likely any complications will come from the hole carried over from the womb not closing properly will arise.

Sources

http://www.clevelandclinic.org/heartcenter/pub/guide/disease/congenital/pfo.htm

http://headaches.about.com/od/migrainediseas1/a/aura_ache.htm

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/patent-foramen-ovale/DS00728/DSECTION=3