While a baby grows in the womb, there is a normal opening between the left and right atria (upper chambers) of the heart. If this opening fails to close naturally soon after the baby is born, the hole is called patent foramen ovale (PFO).
Alternative Names:
PFO
Causes, incidence, and risk factors:
A patent foramen ovale (PFO) allows blood to bypass the lungs. A baby's lungs are not used when it grows in the womb, so the hole does not cause problems in an unborn infant. The opening is supposed to close soon after birth, but sometimes it does not. In about 1 out of 3 or 4 people, the opening never closes.
The cause of a PFO is unknown. There are no known risk factors.
Symptoms:
Infants with a patent foramen ovale and no other heart defects do not have symptoms.
Signs and tests:
An echocardiogram can be done to diagnose a PFO. If the PFO is not easily seen, a cardiologist can perform a "bubble test." Saline solution (salt water) is injected into the body. If a PFO exists, air bubbles will occur from the right to left side of the heart.
Review Date: 6/27/2006
Reviewed By: Anne J. L. Chun, M.D., Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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General Cardiology, Pediatric Cardiology
