Are cardiologists and neurologists finally working together to find consensus on the role of patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure after stroke?

The decision to close a PFO after a stroke should certainly only be made after extensive testing and collaboration by patients and clinicians working closely together.  From my experience being involved as a stroke patient advocate and following the stories of cryptogenic stroke patients with PFO over time, I’ve learned first hand that part of …

FDA approves Amplatzer

News announcement from FDA you’ll be interested in if you’ve suffered a cryptogenic stroke from a suspected PFO and need more choice for treatment

FDA Circulatory System Devices Panel Votes to Approve Amplatzer PFO Occluder

Post by David Dansereau,MSPT Know-Stroke.org On May 24,2016 I provided patient testimony at the Circulatory System Device Panel at the FDA along with Bray Patrick-Lake and Peggy Mahrt of the PFO Research Foundation and several other patients who also traveled to Washington DC to share their stories.   I wanted to share my FDA  testimony …

King Wilder, 57, never knew he had a hole in his heart until he had a stroke

Listen to this 911 call and share Mr. Wilder’s  chilling experience of what it feels like to be having a stroke and not be able to communicate.  It was later determined that the cause of his stroke was probably caused from a PFO (patent foramen ovale), or hole in his heart.   As shared by …

PFO Closure Poll Results Favorable (So Far)

A while back we asked you to take this poll…. Have You Had PFO Closure?  Take Our Quick Poll: Many patient’s report improvement in symptoms and sometimes even complete resolution of symptoms after PFO closure, while other patients report mixed results.  If this applies to you, I hope you’ll chime in here how you feel …

New Report Released : Closure versus medical therapy for preventing recurrent stroke in patients with patent foramen ovale and a history of cryptogenic stroke or transient ischemic attack

PFO Closure vs. Medical Therapy Published Sept. 8 2015 Cochrane.org The authors of this report wanted to compare the safety and effectiveness of transcatheter device closure (TDC) versus medical therapy in people with a patent foramen ovale (PFO) who have suffered a stroke of unknown cause in order to prevent strokes or similar events occurring again. Key results: The Cochrane …

3D Printing for Better Heart Occluder Placement

What a brilliant idea!  Heartwire by Medscape presented  a case report where Australian physicians are taking advantage of 3D printing to create an exact replica of the patient’s cardiac anatomy when planning left atrial appendage (LAA) closure procedures.   Can’t help wondering… Could 3-D printing also be used in other cardiac procedures? Perhaps to better size …

Nickel Allergy Reactions in Septal Closure Devices

MedPage Today reported “in a case series in patients undergoing percutaneous ASD [atrial septal defect] or PFO [patent foramen ovale] closure, particularly those with a history of metal allergy, routine nickel allergy testing should be considered to identify patients at higher risk of an exaggerated inflammatory reaction in whom surgical closure may be favored.” The article went …

Amplatzer cardiac plug “very promising device” study suggests

Amplatzer Plug Cuts Stroke, Bleeding Risks in AFib According to Study Almost eight years out post pfo closure and the hairs on the back of my neck still stand up when I get an “Amplatzer” Google alert.  I guess it will always be that way until we get better guidelines and follow-up for PFO patients. …

A new defensive position for Kris Letang : Stroke Defense

Article by David Dansereau-Know-Stroke.org What type of “D” will be best for Kris Letang following his stroke ? Kris Letang’s recent stroke and press surrounding what may have contributed to it (doctors found a small PFO) are certainly making waves again about PFO closure.  Will he be able to play professional hockey again?  It is …