The link between patent foramen ovale (PFO) and paradoxical embolization, which may be cause of so-called “cryptogenic” ischemic stroke, has been known for more than 100 years. The catheteriziation closure of PFO as a secondary preventive treatment is performed in a greater extent since the end of the last century. The results of the first epidemiological and randomised clinical trials comparing antiagregation or anticoagulant therapy with the PFO closure did not show a clear benefit of any of these approaches. In 2017, major randomized clinical trials were published that demonstrated the benefit of PFO catheter closure compared to drug therapy alone. In this summary article we describe the diagnostic procedure of patients with PFO undergoing paradoxical embolization, indications and selections of a suitable patient for catheter closure of PFO, the procedure itself and subsequent clinical follow-up of these patients.
Keywords: catheterization closure; cryptogenic stroke; occluder; patent foramen ovale; stroke.