Quality control in treating patients with patent foramen ovale: 7-year-experience of the Heart and Brain team of the Careggi University Hospital.

BACKGROUND: The right comprehension of ischemic stroke pathogenesis guarantees the best prevention therapy. The term "patent foramen ovale (PFO) related stroke" has been proposed for those events where PFO is supposed to be pathogenetic, but their definition is challenging. A multidisciplinary evaluation in a "Heart & Brain" team (HBteam) including stroke neurologists and interventional cardiologists was therefore highly recommended in the recent guidelines of secondary stroke prevention. OBJECTIVE: We aimed at describing the organization of the HBteam of Careggi-University-Hospital of Florence (Italy), and the results of the first seven years of activity. METHODS: In 2016 Interventional Cardiologists and Stroke Neurologists set up an outpatient clinic for the joined evaluation of patients with PFO and other cardio/neurological conditions. A specific diagnostic-therapeutic hospital plan was produced for PFO patients. Patient empowerment was guaranteed by a hospital explicative webpage, a booklet regarding risks/benefits of PFO closure and a 3D heartmodel to simulate the intervention. Data were collected in a dedicated registry. RESULTS: We evaluated 594 patients for PFO, 40 for left atrial appendage closure and 38 for other conditions. In 20% of PFO-patients, HBteam diagnosis was discordant from that of referring physicians, 14% were stroke misdiagnoses. We advised against closure in 53% of patients. At follow-up 94% of closed patients had no/minimum residual shunt; 3 patients had a cerebral ischemic event. CONCLUSIONS: A dedicated HBteam represents a unique opportunity to share decisions with patients after a thorough empowerment process. The joining of cardioneurological skills allows a better classification of PFO-patients, reducing futile interventions.

Atrial Fibrillation and Resistant Stroke: Does Left Atrial Appendage Morphology Matter? A Case Report.

Introduction: Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) can experience ischemic stroke despite adequate anticoagulant therapy. The secondary prevention strategy of these so-called "resistant strokes" is empirical. Since about 90% of patients with ischemic stroke due to atrial fibrillation have thrombus in left atrial appendage (LAA) we sought to explore the possibility that resistant stroke could have a LAA morphology resistant to anticoagulants. Case Report: A 77 years old man affected by AF experienced two cardioembolic ischemic stroke while on anticoagulants. The study of LAA showed a windsock-like morphology in the proximal part while distally the LAA presented a cauliflower morphology with a large amount of pectinate muscles and blood stagnation. The precise characteristics of LAA were properly understood integrating images obtained by cardiac CT, transesophageal echocardiography, and selective angiography. A high risky LAA for thrombus formation was diagnosed and its occlusion (LAAO) as an add-on therapy to anticoagulants was proposed and performed. Six month follow-up was uneventfully. Conclusion: The systematic study of LAA in patients with resistant-stroke could help to identify LAA malignant morphology. The efficacy on stroke recurrence of the combined therapy (anticoagulants plus LAAO) is worthy to be tested in randomized trials.