What is a PFO?
Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a condition where the foramen ovale, a key pathway prior to birth for blood from the mother to pass to the foetus' body, fails to close.
Having a PFO is common, upto 25% of the population have one, but in some people it can cause a problem. It is implicated in young people who have had a stroke and is a particular issue in divers where it can be a cause of the "bends." Most patients referred to us fall in to one of these categories and may need PFO closure.
