Transcatheter closure of a patent foramen ovale prior to a pneumonectomy to prevent platypnea syndrome.

An intracardiac shunt on an atrial level may be a cause of hypoxemia after lung surgery (platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome). This syndrome may be successfully treated by percutaneous or surgical shunt closure. We present the case of preoperative transcatheter closure of a patent foramen ovale (PFO) for the prevention of possible platypnea after a forthcoming right pneumonectomy.