New onset atrial fibrillation after patent foramen ovale closure

Abstract

The number of patients in whom atrial fibrillation was detected was relatively low. It is often a self-limited complication of PFO closure that may occur more frequently in elderly patients and those treated with the STARFlex device.

Contributors to and impact of residual shunting after device closure of atrial septal defects

“…The CardioSEAL and STARFlex occluders (NMT Medical, Boston, MA) were combined into one group due to their structural similarities, consistent with prior studies. [24][25][26][27] Data from agitated saline studies were available postprocedure and at 3-month and 1-year follow-up. As a secondary analysis to determine the time course of residual shunt, the rates of detected interatrial shunting were compared at each time point using the McNemar test.…”

Does patent foramen ovale closure have an anti-arrhythmic effect? A meta-analysis

“…This table also demonstrates the 'quality score' assigned based on the number of factors matched. Five studies matched ≥5 factors scoring 3 points for quality [16,[35][36][37]39]. In this group the OR for prevalence of post-closure AFIB was 0.44 (95% CI 0.26-0.75), using a fixed-effect model.…”

Patent Foramen Ovale Closure for Stroke Prevention and Other Disorders

“…New‐onset periprocedural AF is a known complication of percutaneous PFO closure with an incidence of up to 3.9% from a large series of 1349 patients who underwent PFO closure 89. In the RESPECT (Long‐Term Outcomes) trial, new‐onset AF was detected in 1.2% in the closure group and only 0.8% in the medical therapy group ( P =0.753; Table 5).…”

“…25 The CLOSE trial reported an incidence of 2.5% in patients who underwent PFO closure,27 whereas the REDUCE trial reported an incidence of 6.6% for any AF or atrial flutter and 2.3% for serious AF or atrial flutter 26. In a large series by Staubach, among patients who developed new‐onset AF post PFO closure, 62.3% were detected within 4 weeks and 15% between 4 weeks to 6 months post‐procedure 89. The exact mechanism of new‐onset AF after PFO closure is not known, but several hypotheses have been suggested.…”