Superior vena cava–right atrium junction flow‐pattern post‐transcatheter closure of patent foramen ovale

Background The patent foramen ovale ( PFO ) occluder is a bulky metallic device. Its impact on the normal blood flow at the superior vena cava–right atrial ( SVC ‐ RA ) junction is not clear. Methods We examined SVC ‐ RA junction flow‐pattern using pulsed‐wave ( PW ) ultrasound Doppler in 21 patients (4 male, aged 52.7 ± 9 years) who underwent PFO device closure 4–120 months previously, in comparison with 21 age‐ and sex‐matched controls (4 male, aged 51 ± 8.5 years) with structurally normal hearts. Results Mean systolic flow velocity at the SVC ‐ RA junction was 60 ± 11 cm/s in the PFO closure group and 64 ± 17 cm/s in the control group ( P  = 0.27). Mean diastolic blood flow velocity at the SVC ‐ RA junction in those groups was 30 ± 8 and 35 ± 9 cm/s, respectively ( P  = 0.1).The mean systolic wave duration was 439 ± 52 ms in the PFO closure group and 422 ± 67 ms in the control group ( P  = 0.4). The mean diastolic wave duration was 320 ± 75 and 277 ± 88 ms, respectively ( P  = 0.12). Conclusion The study results show that transcatheter PFO closure does not affect the normal blood flow at the SVC ‐ RA junction.