Patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure
This procedure is a non-surgical method of closing the tunnel in the atrial septum, using an implantable umbrella-type closure device (watchman procedure). The procedure is conducted in an angiography suite (“cath lab”) at Intra. Your interventional cardiologist will be assisted by nurses and other skilled staff.
![AMPLATZER PFO Occluder AMPLATZER PFO Occluder](/site/mercyangiography/images/procedures/AMPLATZER%20PFO%20Occluder.jpg)
The PFO occluder is delivered through a catheter (a small plastic tube used to access the heart) via an incision in the groin, using x-ray guidance. The doctor positions the occluder to expand each disc on either side of the tunnel, thereby sealing it closed.
PFO occluders are made of nitinol, a wire mesh made from an alloy of nickel and titanium shaped into two flat discs and a middle, or “waist” which straddles the septum. Polyester fabric inserts help close the hole and provide a foundation for growth of tissue over the occluder after placement.