During the procedure
PFO closure is a same-day, out-patient procedure performed under general anesthesia or conscious sedation in a heart catheterization laboratory. The catheter-based procedure involves making a very small skin incision, guided by fluoroscopy and intracardiac echocardiography, typically in the right groin area, and inserting a catheter to guide the Amplatzer ™ PFO Occluder through the blood vessels to close the PFO within the patient’s heart.
Once the device is placed across the PFO, the cardiologist will carefully study its position using cardiac imaging tools. When the cardiologist is satisfied with the position of the occluder, it will be released to remain permanently in the heart. All catheters will then be removed, and the implant procedure will be complete. The procedure should last between one and two hours.