Catheterization and cardiovascular interventions : official journal of the Society for Cardiac Angiography & Interventions
September 1, 2026 · via Europe PMC
Long-Term Stroke Recurrence and Safety After Percutaneous Patent Foramen Ovale Closure: Results From the Lucerne Registry.
Möller DF, Moccetti F, Conrad N, Bossard M, Attinger-Toller A, Cuculi F, Toggweiler S, Wolfrum M.
AI summary — for doctors, generated from the abstract only
After PFO closure, ischemic stroke recurrence was low long-term, double-disc devices closed the shunt better than suture-based devices, and atrial fibrillation was common.
What was studied
Single-center registry of 331 consecutive patients (80% prior cryptogenic stroke) undergoing percutaneous PFO closure in Lucerne in 2017-2024, followed up to 8 years.
Key findings
- Technical success was 99%.
- Double-disc devices achieved effective closure in 97% versus 68% with suture-based closure.
- Residual shunt may indicate higher cerebrovascular risk.
- A considerable proportion developed atrial fibrillation after closure.
Clinical relevance
Device choice and post-closure rhythm surveillance are relevant to PFO closure practice.
Who should care
Limitations
This is an observational single-center registry without a comparison group, and the abstract omits exact event rates.
Prefer devices that achieve effective closure and watch for atrial fibrillation after closure.
This is an AI-generated summary of the published abstract, not a clinical recommendation. It may not reflect the full text or subsequent updates — verify against the original source before acting on it.
Abstract
Background
Percutaneous patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure is established for selected patients with PFO-associated cryptogenic stroke and other dedicated indications; however, long-term outcome data remain limited.
Aims
Evaluate procedural, echocardiographic, and long-term clinical outcomes after percutaneous PFO closure.
Methods
Consecutive patients undergoing PFO closure at Heart Center Lucerne between February 2017 and December 2024 were analyzed. The primary endpoint was a combined endpoint of recurrent cerebrovascular events and death. Follow-up included 6-month echocardiography and clinical follow-up up to 8 years using electronic health records and structured telephone interviews.
Results
A total of 331 patients (mean age 51 ± 12 years, 39% women, 80% prior cryptogenic stroke) were analyzed. Atrial septal aneurysm was present in 31%, grade 3 shunt in 72%, and the median RoPE score was 7 (IQR 6-7). Technical success was 99%. Devices used were Amplatzer (52%), Figulla Flex (42%), NobleStitch (6%), and Gore (1%). Double-disc devices achieved higher effective closure (residual shunt ≤ grade 1) than suture-based closure (97% vs. 68%; p < 0.001); a double-disc closure for relevant residual shunt was required after 7/21 suture-based closures. During a median follow-up of 3.7 years (IQR 2.1-5.7) 12 patients had a primary outcome (three ischemic strokes, two hemorrhagic strokes, five transient-ischemic-attacks, and two deaths). The primary outcome rate was 0.93/100 patient-years and stroke recurrence rate was 0.39 per 100 patient-years. Residual shunt grade ≥ 2 showed a trend toward increased cerebrovascular risk (HR 4.3, 95% CI 0.9-20.9; p = 0.068). Atrial fibrillation was documented in 5.4% of patients during long-term follow-up.
Conclusions
Percutaneous PFO closure showed high technical success and low long-term ischemic stroke recurrence. Double-disc devices provided higher effective closure than suture-based closure, and residual shunt may indicate increased cerebrovascular risk. A considerable proportion of patients developed atrial fibrillation following PFO closure.
DOI
10.1002/ccd.70818
PMID
42676066
Research metadata (titles, abstracts, authors, publication dates) is sourced from Europe PMC, which aggregates content from PubMed/MEDLINE, PubMed Central, and other providers under the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM/NCBI). NLM does not claim copyright on abstracts; the original journal publishers or authors may hold rights to the full articles. AI-generated summaries are derived only from the abstract, never the full text, and are always labeled as AI-generated.
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