PFO Leading to Concomitant Platypnea-Orthodeoxia Syndrome and Stroke

Platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome is a rare entity seen in patients with patent foramen ovale, characterized by dyspnea and arterial desaturation in the upright position. We describe a case of a patient who presented with cryptogenic stroke, evidence of right-to-left interatrial shunting, and refractory hypoxemia necessitating closure of his patent foramen ovale.