Superior vena cava-right atrium junction flow-pattern post-transcatheter closure of patent foramen ovale.

Abstract

The patent foramen ovale (PFO) occluder is a bulky metallic device. Its impact on the normal blood flow at the superior vena cava-right atrial (SVC-RA) junction is not clear. We examined SVC-RA junction flow-pattern using pulsed-wave (PW) ultrasound Doppler in 21 patients (4 male, aged 52.7±9years) who underwent PFO device closure 4-120months previously, in comparison with 21 age- and sex-matched controls (4 male, aged 51±8.5years) with structurally normal hearts. Mean systolic flow velocity at the SVC-RA junction was 60±11cm/s in the PFO closure group and 64±17cm/s in the control group (P=0.27). Mean diastolic blood flow velocity at the SVC-RA junction in those groups was 30±8 and 35±9cm/s, respectively (P=0.1).The mean systolic wave duration was 439±52ms in the PFO closure group and 422±67ms in the control group (P=0.4). The mean diastolic wave duration was 320±75 and 277±88ms, respectively (P=0.12). The study results show that transcatheter PFO closure does not affect the normal blood flow at the SVC-RA junction.