Clinical Course and Prognosis at Isolated Patent Foramen Ovale

Abstract

Aim: Patent foreman ovale (PFO), which takes part between the septum primum and the septum sekundum, is a thin, membranous, flexible, flap-like congenital, and an oblique channel. This structure related with many diseases in adulthood; therefore, the follow-up and treatment in childhood of PFO patients has become important. In this study, we evalated the clinical course and the prognosis of our patients with PFO. Material and Method: The data of the recent study were collected retrospectively from 19 Mayis University Pediatric Cardiology department in Turkey between January 1991 and January 2001. This study enrolled the patients who were diagnosed isolated PFO by echocardiography examination in different months of applicant from the newborn era. Results: We enrolled 199 patients data's with the diagnosis of patent foramen ovale into the recent trial. A hundred patients (50.3%) were female, and ninety-nine (49.7%) were male. The mean age was 16 +/- 1.2 months (between 2 days-old and 11 years-old). The mean age of PFO diagnose was 4.3 +/- 0.7 months. The follow-uptime dispersed with 3 months to 5 years. The mean diameter of PFO was 4.2 mm (3.1-7.9mm). During the follow-up, the foramen ovale of fifty-nine (30%) patients were closed. The mean closure age was 25.7 +/- 2.5 months (3-44 months). Of 59 patients; 34 were male and 25 were female. Three patients were underwent surgical due to having left to right atrial septal aneurism. Discussion: Patent foramen ovale is associated with cryptogenic stroke, migraine, paradoxical embolic events in adulthood. Thus, we suggest that it is crucial to undergo routinely echocardiogram to check the closure of patent foramen ovale in childhood. It is also critical to refer patients to the invasive surgical repairment when it requires.