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Objectives: The purpose of this study is to compare the long‐term outcomes of patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure using angiography or transesophageal echocardiography as procedural guidance. Background: The interventional treatment is emerging as a safe and efficient option for patients with high likelihood of PFO‐related cryptogenic stroke and high risk of recurrence. The “gold‐standard” guidance technique remains an issue. Methods: Two cohorts of patients undergoing PFO closure for cryptogenic stroke in two catheterization laboratories of the same institution, using similar inclusion criteria but different guidance, were compared with propensity score matching. Results: A total of 374 patients were enrolled, 161 in Angio‐group and 213 in Echo‐group. No difference was detected in the procedural complication rate. In Angio‐group, radiological exposure (P = .001) and 6‐month residual shunt (16.8% vs 8.0%, P = .015) were higher. After a mean follow‐up of 41 ± 30 months, 28 patients (7.5%) presented any adverse event (death, recurrent cerebral ischemia, device‐related complications, reintervention), with a higher rate in Angio‐group (13.0% vs 3.3%, P = .001), mainly due to repeated percutaneous intervention (10.6% vs 1.4%, P = .001). The results were confirmed after propensity score matching (118 patients/group). The rate of recurrent cerebral ischemia was 1.9% and was not significantly different in the two groups. Intra‐procedural guidance and atrial septum aneurysm were independent predictors of the composite primary endpoint (OR 1.2, P = .016). Conclusions: The use of intra‐procedural transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) guidance for PFO closure allows lower residual shunt rate, radiological exposure, and adverse events, mainly driven by a significant reduction in percutaneous reintervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Transcatheter closure of patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a widespread procedure, but no randomized study on its outcome in high-risk patients is available. Our aims were to determine the efficacy and safety of this procedure in a cohort of high-risk patients through the observation of clinical adverse events and residual shunt, to evaluate the impact of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) guidance during the procedure, and investigate the relationship between the anatomical and clinical characteristics and the outcome. Methods and Results: Ninety-five patients underwent PFO closure for cryptogenic cerebral ischemia; each of them presented one or more of the following risk factors: recurrent cerebral ischemia (9.5%), atrial septum aneurysm (ASA, 74.5%), prominent Eustachian valve (EV, 23.2%), severe basal shunt (9.5%), thrombophilic factors (20%), deep vein thrombosis (4.2%). The procedure was performed successfully in all patients. On median follow-up of 18 months, the neurologic recurrent events rate was 1.1% and the major adverse cardiac event (MACE) rate was 1.1%. At 6-month TEE follow-up, the residual shunt rate was 12.6% (3.1% moderate to severe). A significant correlation was found between residual shunt and prominent EV alone (P = 0.036) or in association with ASA (P = 0.021). All adverse events occurred in the first 8 months, and the event-free survival rate was 86.2%. Conclusions: Our study suggests that transcatheter PFO closure is a safe procedure even in a selected population of high-risk patients, presenting satisfactory efficacy and safety. The presence of a prominent EV alone or with ASA correlates positively with the occurrence of residual shunt. (J Interven Cardiol 2011;24:477-484) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]