Paradoxical Embolism Research Articles

Cardiac masses and the role of imaging in their diagnostic

Abstract Objectives Myxomas are the most common primary tumors of the adult heart and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of intracavitary cardiac masses, along with thrombi and vegetations. Methods We report a case of a 64-year-old obese, hypertensive woman, who presented with dyspnea on moderate exertion as well as fatigue. The patient was admitted to our hospital after the discovery on transthoracic echocardiography of an intracardiac mass, which was highly suggestive for a left atrial myxoma. Results On admission, the patient presents no abnormalities on physical exam, with blood tests showing only slight deviations in the lipid profile. The ECG presents a normal sinus rhythm of 80/min with two premature ventricular contractions and a premature atrial contraction. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed the presence of a well-defined, pediculated, left atrial mass attached to the interatrial septum, measuring 25/17 mm, with no apparent interference in mitral valve motion. We supplemented our investigations with the use of transesophageal echocardiography which further defined the dimensions and location of the tumor, while also showing the presence of an atrial septal aneurysm associated to two small atrial septal defects measuring 6 mm and 7 mm respectively, with a left to right shunt. Cardiac CT examination confirmed the benign aspect of the mass and offered important anatomical elements, useful in preoperative planning. The patient was, therefore, admitted to our Cardiovascular Surgery department, where a successful surgical resection of the tumor was performed, without any local or systemic complications. The differential diagnosis of this mass included intracavitary thrombi, vegetations, as well as other histological subtypes of benign or malignant tumors, while the presence of an atrial septal defect, which represents a possible source of paradoxical emboli, provided an additional challenge. Conclusions This complicated case stands out due to its particular echocardiographic appearance and emphasizes the importance of a comprehensive evaluation in both the differential diagnosis and preoperative assessment.

Predictive value of transesophageal echocardiography combined with contrast transthoracic echocardiography for embolic stroke of undetermined source.

In this study, we aimed to assess the predictive value of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) combined with contrast transthoracic echocardiography (cTTE) for embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS). A total of 52 patients with ESUS were examined by TEE and cTTE. The detection rate of patent foramen ovale (PFO) and right-to-left shunt (RLS) grade were compared in patients with ESUS between cTTE alone and cTTE combined with TEE. The Risk of Paradoxical Embolism (RoPE) score, PFO diameter, and PFO length of patients with PFO-associated ESUS and non-PFO-associated ESUS were compared by cTTE alone and cTTE combined with TEE. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was utilized to determine the effect of RoPE score and PFO diameter on patients with PFO-associated ESUS. The positive rate of PFO detected by cTTE alone (46.15%) was lower than that detected by cTTE combined with TEE (69.23%). The proportion of patients with RLS grade I + II + III detected by cTTE combined with TEE (69.23%) was higher than that detected by cTTE alone (46.15%). Both the RoPE score and PFO diameter were significantly greater in the patients with PFO-associated ESUS than in the patients with non-PFO-associated ESUS (p < .05). The combination of RoPE score and PFO diameter had the largest area under the ROC curve (AUC = 0.875), which was larger than the AUC alone of RoPE score (AUC = 0.819) and PFO diameter (AUC = 0.783) (p < .05). The combination of cTTE and TEE is helpful to the diagnosis of ESUS patients caused by PFO and to judge the degree of RLS.

Brain Abscess Drainage in a Case of Tetralogy of Fallot with Pulmonary Atresia with Major Aortopulmonary Collateral Arteries Under Scalp Block

AbstractTetralogy of Fallot (TOF) is the most common cyanotic congenital heart disease. There are a few reports of uncorrected TOF patients surviving into adulthood requiring noncardiac surgery. They are commonly susceptible to developing brain abscesses due to paradoxical embolism and lack of pulmonary phagocytic clearance. A 32-year-old man, a known patient of TOF with pulmonary atresia and major aortopulmonary collateral arteries, presented with left side weakness and seizures. He was drowsy with a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) of 13/15, heart rate of 72/min, oxygen saturation of 78% with 6 L/min oxygen via face mask, and blood pressure of 90/60 mm Hg with noradrenaline at 0.5 mcg/kg/min. He had central cyanosis, clubbing, and icterus. The left upper and lower limb power was 2/5, whereas it was 5/5 for the right. Cardiovascular examination revealed a grade 3/6 continuous murmur at the base of the heart. No pulmonary abnormality was noted on auscultation. Echocardiography showed large subaortic ventricular septal defect (VSD) with overriding of the aorta, pulmonary atresia, right-sided aortic arch, and ejection fraction of 62%. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain revealed features suggestive of brain abscess. Brain abscess drainage was performed under scalp block with sedation to avoid major hemodynamic fluctuations. The procedure was uneventful, and the patient's power on the left side improved postprocedure. Scalp block with sedation is a suitable alternative to general anesthesia for drainage of brain abscess in TOF patients.

Transesophageal echocardiography-guided percutaneous closure of the patent foramen ovale only uses the sheath.

Percutaneous closure of the patent foramen ovale (PFO) is primarily guided by fluoroscopy in the catheter room, during which procedure both the guidewire and sheath need to pass through the PFO. We performed PFO closure using a transesophageal echocardiography (TEE)-guided approach and only the sheath was passed through the PFO during the procedure. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and safety of PFO closure using this technique. A retrospective observational study was performed. A total of 117 consecutive adult patients underwent percutaneous PFO closure without fluoroscopy, under the sole guidance of TEE in our hospital between December 2018 and December 2021. The data of each patient consisted of preoperative, operative, and postoperative variables collected. The primary outcome is that the occluder was successfully released. The secondary outcomes included perioperative and follow-up transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), Headache impact test-6 (HIT-6) score and clinical symptoms. Transvenous PFO closure under TEE guidance was successful in all cases. The sample consisted of 93 females and 24 males with an average age of 42.3±7.8 years. There were 28 patients with preoperative cerebral infarction [Risk of Paradoxical Embolism (RoPE) score >6 points] and 89 patients with migraine. All patients underwent a preoperative TEE to confirm the presence of PFO, and contrast-enhanced transcranial Doppler (c-TCD) acoustic contrast suggested grades 3 to 4. The average time of surgery for patients (puncture to removal of the sheath) was 32 minutes. Three cases of vagus nerve reflex manifestations during surgery and two cases of transient ventricular arrhythmia all improved after symptomatic treatment. There were no instances of metal allergy, hemolysis, or other acute vascular procedural complications. For all 89 patients with migraine, significant relief or resolution was achieved during the first six-month follow-up (P<0.001). As a monotherapy, percutaneous closure of PFO guided by TEE where only the sheath passes through the PFO during the operation is an effective procedure with a high success rate and a low complication rate.

Modified Risk of Paradoxical Embolism More Effectively Evaluates the Risk of Stroke Associated with Patent Foramen Ovale.

Through an analysis of the risk factors associated with patent foramen ovale (PFO)-related stroke (PS), we aimed to modify the Risk of Paradoxical Embolism (RoPE) to assess the risk of PS. A retrospective collection of ischemic stroke (IS) patients with PFO admitted to the Department of Neurology at Beijing Chaoyang Hospital was conducted. The patients were classified into PS and non-PS groups. PS risk factors and RoPE scoring were analyzed based on clinical data, laboratory indicators, and imaging data. Independent risk factors were incorporated into the RoPE scoring system for enhancement. Significant differences were observed between the two groups regarding total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), and uric acid levels. The transverse diameter of the left atrium was significantly larger in the non-PS group compared to the PS group. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that higher LDL-C levels and a smaller transverse diameter of the left atrium increased the risk of PS. The modified RoPE score was derived by assigning 1 point each for high LDL-C levels and the absence of transverse diameter enlargement in the left atrium. The area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves for the classical and modified RoPE score distinguishing PS were 0.661 and 0.798, respectively. LDL-C levels and transverse diameter of the left atrium were identified as independent risk factors for PS. The modified RoPE scoring system exhibited superior performance in assessing the risk of PS compared to the original RoPE score.

Indication and Timing of Surgery in Patients with Endocarditis of the Tricuspid Valve

Endocarditis of the right heart is a particular form of infective endocarditis, it often affects intra venous (IV) drug addicts, it can be severe, its diagnosis is based on Duke's criteria, it can be complicated by pulmonary or paradoxical emboli which can sometimes worsen the clinical situation, in addition to antibiotics surgical treatment is sometimes necessary for recovery, the indication for which depends on several clinical, anatomical, and biological criteria. The aim of this review is to illustrate the indications and place of the different surgical methods in the management of tricuspid endocarditis, as well as the best time for the operation.

Cryptogenic stroke. Part 4: Antiphospholipid syndrome and cancer

Cryptogenic embolic stroke (embolic strokes of undetermined source, ESUS) is an intermediate diagnosis in patients with unknown etiology of stroke and implies the absence of large sources of cardioembolism and significant extra- and intracranial stenoses and probably embolic pathogenesis of cerebral infarction. In the previous parts of the article, we discussed the issues of diagnosis and secondary prevention of ESUS with underlying potential aortoaortic sources of embolism, paradoxical embolism and atrial cardiopathy. This article discusses the issues of epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis and secondary prevention of ischemic stroke with underlying antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) and cancer-associated stroke (RAI). Both mechanisms of stroke are associated with hypercoagulability, often manifest as multifocal cortical brain lesions, and respond to anticoagulant therapy. While APS should be suspected primarily in young women with pathology of pregnancy, arterial and venous thrombosis, as well as livedo reticularis (racemosa), RAI does not have a specific clinical picture, but can manifest as diffuse cortical infarcts (symptom of three pools) combined with increased D-dimer level. If APS is suspected, appropriate haematological screening is required, followed by the use of the Sydney diagnostic criteria. Possible diagnosis of RAI often requires transesophageal echocardiography (ruling out non-bacterial thromboendocarditis) and oncological screening. Secondary prevention of APS consists in prescribing warfarin with the target international normalized ratio (INR) of 2.0 to 3.0. RAI is treated with anticoagulants, but the choice of a drug and dose is determined by the balance between thrombotic/thromboembolic and hemorrhagic risks.

Unsupervised machine learning algorithms identify expected haemorrhage relationships but define unexplained coagulation profiles mapping to thrombotic phenotypes in hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia.

Hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) can result in challenging anaemia and thrombosis phenotypes. Clinical presentations of HHT vary for relatives with identical casual mutations, suggesting other factors may modify severity. To examine objectively, we developed unsupervised machine learning algorithms to test whether haematological data at presentation could be categorised into sub-groupings and fitted to known biological factors. With ethical approval, we examined 10 complete blood count (CBC) variables, four iron index variables, four coagulation variables and eight iron/coagulation indices combined from 336 genotyped HHT patients (40% male, 60% female, 86.5% not using iron supplementation) at a single centre. T-SNE unsupervised, dimension reduction, machine learning algorithms assigned each high-dimensional datapoint to a location in a two-dimensional plane. k-Means clustering algorithms grouped into profiles, enabling visualisation and inter-profile comparisons of patients' clinical and genetic features. The unsupervised machine learning algorithms using t-SNE and k-Means identified two distinct CBC profiles, two iron profiles, four clotting profiles and three combined profiles. Validating the methodology, profiles for CBC or iron indices fitted expected patterns for haemorrhage. Distinct coagulation profiles displayed no association with age, sex, C-reactive protein, pulmonary arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), ENG/ACVRL1 genotype or epistaxis severity. The most distinct profiles were from t-SNE/k-Means analyses of combined iron-coagulation indices and mapped to three risk states - for venous thromboembolism in HHT; for ischaemic stroke attributed to paradoxical emboli through pulmonary AVMs in HHT; and for cerebral abscess attributed to odontogenic bacteremias in immunocompetent HHT patients with right-to-left shunting through pulmonary AVMs. In conclusion, unsupervised machine learning algorithms categorise HHT haematological indices into distinct, clinically relevant profiles which are independent of age, sex or HHT genotype. Further evaluation may inform prophylaxis and management for HHT patients' haemorrhagic and thrombotic phenotypes.

Thromboembolic diseases from a cardiological point of view

Thromboembolic disease is associated with a high mortality. It can be divided into two groups: embolism from a venous and embolism from an arterial side. This article gives an overview on thromboembolic disease (with a focus on pulmonary embolism and ischemic stroke) from a cardiologist's perspective.The therapeutic options for acute pulmonary embolism range from anticoagulation to fibrinolysis to interventional recanalization and surgery. The deciding factor for choice of therapy is the risk of early death. Besides clinical parameters, laboratory markers like cardiac troponin and right ventricular function on echocardiography or CTPA (computed tomography pulmonary angiography) are used to determine the early mortality risk. In hemodynamically instable patients, immediate thrombolysis is required, whereas patients with intermediate and low risk can be treated with anticoagulation. Interventional recanalization is currently being studied in patients at risk for development of CTEPH (chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension) or an intermediate risk of early mortality.In ischemic stroke, early interdisciplinary workup involving a cardiologist is paramount. Post stroke screening should include monitoring for arrythmias (especially atrial fibrillation) and transthoracic echocardiography as well as sonography of extra- and intracranial arteries. If no embolic source can be detected (embolic stroke of undetermined source), transesophageal echo can be helpful to detect intracardiac shunts like patent foramen ovale (PFO) or intracardiac tumors. Post stroke care includes secondary prevention measures like risk factor modification and lipid lowering therapy as well as anticoagulation. In high risk for paradoxical embolization, interventional PFO closure can be performed. Interventional closure of the left atrial appendage (LAA) can be discussed in patients with both high thromboembolic and bleeding risk.

Large Pulmonary Embolism With Paradoxical Embolism to a Coronary Artery Presenting as Inferior ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction, With Concomitant Compression of the Left Main Coronary Artery by a Dilated Main Pulmonary Artery

Large Pulmonary Embolism With Paradoxical Embolism to a Coronary Artery Presenting as Inferior ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction, With Concomitant Compression of the Left Main Coronary Artery by a Dilated Main Pulmonary Artery

Paradoxical Embolism Is an Unusual Etiology of Acute Limb Ischemia in Patients Suffering from COVID-19 Infection.

Acute limb ischemia (ALI) is a large contributor to morbidity and mortality annually and can be managed either operatively or medically. ALI is most often caused by arterial embolism or in situ thrombosis and treatment is often dependent upon the severity. Anticoagulation is considered standard of care and first line therapy. However, more severe cases of ALI require surgical intervention.Paradoxical emboli are a rare and potentially under-appreciated cause of ALI. They arise when venous emboli, from a variety of sources, traverse a patent foramen ovale (PFO) to enter the arterial system, compromising blood flow to the affected end organ. In most cases, they can only be proven if the thrombus is identified as it crosses the cardiac defect, at which point it is an indication for surgery requiring PFO closure, management for the ischemia itself, and possible intervention for the embolism.In this report, we identify and discuss management of a series of cases where ALI was precipitated by PFOs that were discovered in the context of a pulmonary emboli that developed into paradoxical emboli. All patients had a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 which has been associated with a state of hypercoagulability and subsequent thrombus formation.

Synchronous multimode ultrasound for assessing right-to-left shunt: a prospective clinical study.

Right-to-left shunt (RLS) is associated with several conditions and causes morbidity. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of synchronous multimode ultrasonography in detecting RLS. We prospectively enrolled 423 patients with high clinical suspicion of RLS and divided them into the contrast transcranial Doppler (cTCD) group and synchronous multimode ultrasound group, in which both cTCD and contrast transthoracic echocardiography (cTTE) were performed during the same process of contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging. The simultaneous test results were compared with those of cTCD alone. The positive rates of grade II (22.0%:10.0%) and III (12.7%:10.8%) shunts and the total positive rate (82.1748%) in the synchronous multimode ultrasound group were higher than those in the cTCD alone group. Among patients with RLS grade I in the synchronous multimode ultrasound group, 23 had RLS grade I in cTCD but grade 0 in synchronous cTTE, whereas four had grade I in cTCD but grade 0 in synchronous cTTE. Among patients with RLS grade II in the synchronous multimode ultrasound group, 28 had RLS grade I in cTCD but grade II in synchronous cTTE. Among patients with RLS grade III in the synchronous multimode ultrasound group, four had RLS grade I in cTCD but grade III in synchronous cTTE. Synchronous multimode ultrasound had a sensitivity of 87.5% and specificity of 60.6% in the patent foramen ovale (PFO) diagnosis. Binary logistic regression analyses showed that age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.041) and risk of paradoxical embolism score ≥ 7 (OR = 7.798) were risk factors for stroke recurrence, whereas antiplatelets (OR = 0.590) and PFO closure with antiplatelets (OR = 0.109) were protective factors. Synchronous multimodal ultrasound significantly improves the detection rate and test efficiency, quantifies RLS more accurately, and reduces testing risks and medical costs. We conclude that synchronous multimodal ultrasound has significant potential for clinical applications.

Anaesthetic management of an infant with severe protein C deficiency and septal cardiac defects—a case report

BackgroundProtein C deficiency is a rare genetic disorder with varying severity of symptoms and disease. The disorder may vary in presentation from a complete symptomless state to a less severe form like venous thromboembolism. The most severe form of disease is a rare condition called neonatal purpura fulminans (NPF) which is characterized with sudden progressive dermal hemorrhage and necrosis due to vascular thrombosis and disseminated intravascular coagulation. In contrast, congenital atrial and ventricular septal defects are the commonest congenital heart diseases found in pediatric population. An infant presenting with systemic vascular thromboembolism secondary to protein C deficiency along with the cardiac septal defects posted for surgery will be a very challenging task to manage in perioperative period. Also, physiological mechanisms during perioperative period and surgery will promote thromboembolism leading to worsening of the situation further. So, perioperative management of such patient pose a great challenge to the anaesthesiologist. Due to rarity of the condition, there is very limited literature available.Case presentationWe report the perioperative management of a 2-month-old child suffering with neonatal purpura fulminans with atrial and ventricular septal cardiac defect, scheduled for bilateral foot amputation. The patient was a diagnosed with complete occlusion of abdominal aorta leading to foot gangrene. After initiation of anticoagulant therapy, symptoms were relieved and patient was posted for amputation of gangrenous feet.ConclusionsThere could be an increased risk of thromboembolism and bleeding due to protein C abnormality along with the chances of shunt reversal, paradoxical embolism, and other cardiac morbidities secondary to septal defects. Wise selection of anaesthetic agents like limiting the use of nitrous oxide, ketamine as much as possible to be considered. Conditions like tachycardia, hypotension, and hypothermia should also be prevented perioperatively as these could increase the chances of thrombosis.

Stroke Caused by a Paradoxical Embolus From a Rare Congenital Anomaly in the Adult: Persistent Left Superior Vena Cava Draining into the Left Upper Pulmonary Vein.

Stroke Caused by a Paradoxical Embolus From a Rare Congenital Anomaly in the Adult: Persistent Left Superior Vena Cava Draining into the Left Upper Pulmonary Vein.

Malposition of a Femoral Tunneled Dialysis Catheter through a Patent Foramen Ovale.

Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a common congenital abnormality of high prevalence in adults. Its clinical significance is magnified in a right-to-left shunt, where paradoxical embolism can have catastrophic outcomes involving the brain, heart, mesenteric circulation, or extremities. Right-to-left shunting through a PFO is caused by increased right atrial pressure, as seen in the setting of pulmonary artery hypertension or pulmonary embolism. This case highlights the relevance of central venous catheter placement in the setting of a PFO. While the patient did not experience clinical sequelae from line placement, she was at high risk for paradoxical embolus. Recognizing the possibility of a PFO during central venous catheter placement, especially in the setting of increased right pressures, should be a consideration of all interventional radiologists.

Concomitant high-risk pulmonary embolism and paradoxical ischemic stroke: aspiration thrombectomy as a treatment option.

Concomitant high-risk pulmonary embolism and paradoxical ischemic stroke: aspiration thrombectomy as a treatment option.

P136 “THERE’S NO TWO WITHOUT THREE”: A STRANGE CASE OF RECURRENT CORONARY EMBOLISM

Abstract Background A 68 year–old woman with rheumatic heart disease underwent surgery replacement of aortic and mitral valves with mechanical prostheses 20 years ago, and since then has been in VKAs therapy. One year after the operation, she was hospitalized for ischemic stroke without relics. For detection of 2:1 block on the ECG Holter/24h a PM was implanted. After 4 years, she had an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) with VF (treated with DC–Shock). Coronary angiography (CA) showed no coronary stenosis. It was replaced PM to ICD. In 2017, she had a TIA and a mitral prosthesis dysfunction was detected from EET with hemidisk thrombosis. After CA, mitral valve replacement was performed but on the 2nd day after surgery she had an anterior STEMI caused by the occlusion of LAD. PTCA and stenting were performed. In October u.s. the patient was referred to the Emergency room for typical angina. An inferior–posterior STEMI was revealed to ECG. CA highlighted embolic occlusion of Cx and good result of prior LAD’s stenting. After multiple and ineffective attempts, invasive recanalization’s procedure was interrupted considering both patient’s high bleeding risk and embolic aetiology. Excluded prosthetic thrombosis and thrombophilic anomalies, patient was discharged in clinical stability with SAPT+ VKAs therapies. Discussion Coronary embolism (CE) represents 3% of ACS because the coronary arteries are protected from embolism thanks to their acute’s angle origin from the aorta. Embolism origin is various and it can originate from left (LAA, LVx, valvular, prosthetic structures) or right heart sections (paradoxical embolism in the case of PFO),generally during AF. In our case, prosthetic origin is the most probable embolic source as demonstrated by cerebral ischemic (TIA/stroke) and coronary events (first anterior then inferior–posterior STEMI) after valves surgery. Treatment consists of restoring antegrade flow without DES implantation, using if possible intracoronary thrombolysis or thromboaspiration. In secondary prevention, embolism sources removal and anticoagulant therapy are mandatory. In our case we recommended SAPT+VKAs with strict INR’s control (range 3.5–4). Conclusions Although CE is a rare and potentially fatal phenomenon it should be suspected in the absence of coronary atherosclerosis and in the presence of predisposing conditions such as those mentioned above. This case demonstrates that CE can occur in absence of prosthetic thrombosis with suboptimal INR control.

Diagnostic criteria for determining the type of the right-to-left shunt using contrast-enhanced transcranial Doppler ultrasound in young patients with ischemic stroke/transient ischemic attack

Objective. To determine specific diagnostic criteria for detecting the type of the right-to-left shunt by contrast-enhanced transcranial Doppler ultrasound (cTCD) in young patients with paradoxical embolism and ischemic stroke/TIA. Material and methods. The study included 64 ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack patients (age 28–44 years) with patent foramen ovale (PFO), atrial septal defect (ASD) or pulmonary arteriovenous malformation (PAVM). cTCD was used to assess the degree of shunting, its change during the Valsalva maneuver (VM), time to the fi rst microembolic signal (MES) detection, and the duration of MES registration. Results. According to cTCD data, 20% of patients with PFO had no shunt at rest, and 80% had a mild to moderate right-to-left shunt. After VM, a severe shunt was detected in 75% of patients in this group and a moderate shunt in 25%. All patients with ASD and PAVM had a marked shunt at rest. The difference in time to first MES detection from the start of contrast administration was not statistically significant for all groups. The duration of MES registration that indicated shunting was shorter in patients with PFO compared to those with ASD (p &lt; 0.001) or with PAVM (p &lt; 0.001) and it was significantly longer in patients with PAVM compared to those with ASD (p &lt; 0.001). Conclusion. The key diagnostic criteria to defi ne the right-to-left shunt type are the functional shunt degree at rest and the duration of MES registration. Severe shunting at rest can suggest the presence of ASD or PAVM, while the duration of MES registration &gt; 2 min suggests a PAVM.

P51 PERCUTANEOUS CLOSURE OF PATENT FORAMEN OVALE IN CHILDREN :SINGLE CENTER EXPERIENCE

Abstract Background Transcatheter patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure is a validated strategy to prevent recurrent cerebral events in adult patients; limited data are available for children. Methods This is a retrospective analysis including pediatric population underwent to percutaneous treatment of PFO in our center. Results From 2006 to 2021, 21 transcatheter PFO closures have been performed in children (mean age: 14 +3 years; female: 58%, weight: 59 + 20 kg). Indications for the closure of PFO consisted in the occurrence of cryptogenic ischemic events for 18 patients (86%), in disabling migraine symptoms for 2 patients (9,5%) and in prophylactic measure to prevent paradoxical embolism in high risk abdominal surgery for 1 patient (4,5%). Transcatheter PFO closure was performed under general anesthesia with transesophageal ultrasound guidance. Complex anatomies of PFO included atrial septal aneurysm in 4 cases (with accessory fenestration of atrial membrane in 2 of these cases) and long and stiff PFO tunnel in one case. Single device was used in 20 procedures. ASD closure device was required for 5 cases because of anatomic characteristics of PFO. In one case of large multifenestrated atrial septal aneurysm, percutaneous treatment was performed using both PFO closure device and ASD closure device. No peri and/or post procedural complications have been reported . All patients were treated with Acetylsalicylic acid and Clopidogrel for the first six months after the procedure. Conclusions Transcatheter PFO closure is a safe procedure in pediatric patients in high volume center that should be used for preventing recurrent cerebral events also in children.

P466 PREDICTORS OF RECURRENT CEREBRAL ISCHEMIA AFTER PATENT FORAMEN OVALE CLOSURE: A SINGLE CENTER EXPERIENCE WITH A LONG–TERM FOLLOW–UP

Abstract Aims Transcatheter patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure has been shown to lower recurrent stroke in patients with cryptogenic stroke (CS) or transient ischemic attack (TIA) with an indication for closure. However, the incidence of recurrent stroke is not negligible and underlying pathogenic mechanisms remain largely unknown. We sought to evaluate the prevalence of recurrent CS/TIA and to assess its predictors after transcatheter PFO closure. Methods We enrolled consecutive patients who underwent PFO closure for secondary prevention of neurological ischemic events at the University Hospital of Parma between 2006 and 2021. For each subject, CS/TIA index event was diagnosed after exclusion of alternative etiologies, PFO features were characterized by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), the Risk of Paradoxical Embolism (ROPE) score was retrospectively assessed and the presence of migraine was investigated. Clinical follow–up was scheduled with outpatient visits at 3 – 12 months and yearly thereafter device implantation; the primary outcome was the recurrence of any ischemic neurological event. Results We enrolled a total of 169 patients with mean Risk of Paradoxical Embolism (ROPE) score at hospital admission of 6.4 ± 1.5. The primary indication for PFO closure was previous CS (94 [55.6%] subjects), followed by TIA (75 [44.4%]). Among patients with complete outcome data (n= 154), after a median follow–up of 112 months, recurrent cerebral ischemia occurred in 13 [8.4%], with an annualized rate of 0.92/100 patients. The presence of obesity [OR 5.268, p = 0.018], ROPE score &amp;lt; 7 [OR 5.991, p = 0.035] and migraine [OR = 5.932 p = 0.012] were independent positive predictors of recurrent stroke/TIA after PFO closure. Conclusion In our study, recurrent cerebral events after PFO closure were not negligible, with an annualized rate of 0.92/100 patients, consistent with prior research. Multiple heterogeneous predictors were identified: the presence of obesity, ROPE score &amp;lt; 7 and migraine were independent positive predictors of recurrent stroke/TIA after PFO closure