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.