Patent foramen ovale closure for cryptogenic stroke: Effective, but only in select patients.

ABSTRACT

PFO closure reduces risk of recurrent stroke in some patients with cryptogenic stroke, particularly younger patients <45 years with moderate or greater right to left shunting Number needed to treat (NNT) to prevent one stroke at 5 years are 28 to 69 (95% confidence limits of 21 to 351) suggesting need for individualized risk stratification models PFO closure may increase short- and possibly long-term risk of atrial flutter/fibrillation.