Cryptogenic stroke and patent foramen ovale (abridged and translated version)

Interventional patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure should be performed in patients aged 16 to 60 years (after extensive neurological and cardiological diagnostic work-up) with a history of cryptogenic ischaemic stroke and patent foramen ovale, with moderate or extensive right-to-left shunt. In patients with cryptogenic ischaemic stroke and patent foramen ovale, who reject a PFO closure, there is no evidence of superiority of oral anticoagulation over antiplatelet therapy. Therefore, secondary prevention should be performed with aspirin or clopidogrel. Atrial fibrillation, pericardial tamponade, and pulmonary embolism are reported complications during and after implantation of an occluder. However, these events are so rare that they should not influence the recommendation for implantation. This article is an abridged and translated version of the guideline published in Nervenarzt: Diener, HC., für die Deutsche Gesellschaft für Neurologie (DGN), Grau, A.J. et al. Nervenarzt (2018) 89: 1143. 10.1007/s00115-018-0609-y. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1186/s42466-019-0008-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.