|
|
| *Women health>>>Stroke |
Has anyone had a PFO closure that didn't close? Mine is still leaking and I've had another stroke (3 total) |
I had two strokes before they discovered my PFO. 7 months ago it was closed and one month ago I had another TEE and they found that it did not close. Initially the PFO was 1cm in size, now it is smaller. I had a TIA two weeks ago. I need to know what I can do. I don't want to continue having strokes and my Dr. is just saying there is nothing he can do short of open heart surgery. Has anyone had a similar circumstance? My blood pressure is high even after taking two B/P medications. It is different every time it is taken and very different taking it sitting, lying down and standing. Is there anything else that can be done? Judy - I am sorry to hear about your predicament. Unfortunately, it's a complicated question and one would need to know your full medical history and test results to give you a good answer. Assuming that the diagnosis of stroke/TIA is correct, I can tell you that we do not have reliable research studies that have been able to prove that closing a PFO can effectively prevent strokes. Strokes can be caused by several things, and PFOs are only one possibility. If the strokes are NOT caused by blood clots going through your PFO, then closing the hole would not be expected to help. Even if we could say for certain that the strokes are due to blood clots that have snuck through the PFO, the research that we have suggests that medications such as aspirin, Plavix or coumadin may be just as effective at preventing strokes as having the hole closed. Another important thing to know would be how big the residual hole is. It is not uncommon to have tiny residual holes even after a device closure. If the residual hole is very small, there may not be much of a point in closing it. If it is bigger, open heart surgery is NOT the only choice. We can sometimes put in a second device to plug off the remaining hole. This would have to be done by a cardiologist who has a lot of experience more complex procedures, but I am NOT saying that you should necessarily have this done. Most likely - and again, it is hard to give any definitive information without knowing the specifics of your case - the best thing to do is to leave the residual hole alone and just commit to taking long-term medical therapy. Whether this means coumadin, aspirin, Plavix, or some combination of these is best determined by your neurologist. (And you should absolutely have a neurologist if you've had two strokes and a TIA already!) If you want to give me some more specifics, I may be able to provide a little more info. Otherwise, I hope you find that helpful. Good luck! Patent Foramen Ovale ey? Try askin your cardiologist of a dacron patch or certain cardiac cath devices. Guess if you're concerned of having another stoke, better ask your doctor if you could be placed on aspirin or thrombolytic therapy. the TIA's may have been caused by turbulence in your heart causing a traveling clot to your brain. Fresh BSNursing graduate here |
| Tags |
| Skin Cancer Skin Health Sleep Disorders Smoking Stress Stroke Substance Abuse Pain Management Pelvic Pain Polycystic Ovary Syndrome |
Health Categories--Copyright/IP Policy--Contact Webmaster The information on whfhhc.com is provided for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions. |