We sought to evaluate the effects of atrial septal and patent foramen ovale (PFO) morphology on the efficacy of transcatheter closure. We performed a retrospective analysis of all patients who underwent PFO device closure from January 1997 to January 2002. Forty-seven patients underwent percutaneous closure of a PFO with a median age of 45 years (range, 8–75) and weight of 76 kg (range 28–115). The septal morphology was flat in 33 and aneurysmal in 14 patients. The PFO morphology was a simple flap in 20 and complex in 27 patients. Complex morphologies included long-tunnel PFO (n = 15), coexistent small atrial septal defect (ASD) (n = 5), and aneurysmal septum without a tunnel or ASD (n = 7). Nonstretched PFO diameters were significantly smaller than stretched (4.8 ± 1.1 mm vs 11.6 ± 3.8 mm, p < 0.01). Median device size: stretched diameter ratio (DS:SD) was 3.7:1 (range, 2.2–9.1). The DS:SD ratio was significantly higher in patients with complex PFO (mean, 3.9:1 vs 2.6:1; p < 0.05). Device placement was successful in all patients. Five patients required transeptal puncture of the foraminal flap in long-tunnel PFOs. Effective closure on follow-up was achieved in 45 patients (95%). Of the 2 patients with residual shunts, 1 had a complex PFO and the other a simple PFO. Two patients (5%) experienced recurrent neurologic symptoms after device closure despite having no residual shunt by echocardiography. Complex PFO did not increase risk of residual shunt or recurrent neurologic symptoms after device closure.
