Results of percutaneous closure of patent foramen ovale with the GORE® septal occluder

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the GORE(®) Septal Occluder (GSO) at 1-, 6-, and 12-month follow-up in patients with a clinical indication for patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure. BACKGROUND: Limited data are available regarding the safety and efficacy of the GSO for PFO closure. METHODS: Sixty consecutive patients with an embolic event, migraine, or risk of decompression sickness were enrolled. Transesophageal or transthoracic echocardiography and clinical follow-up were performed at 1, 6 and 12 months after implantation. All patients received 100 mg aspirin and 75 mg clopidogrel for 6 months. RESULTS: Procedures were technically successful in 98.3% (59/60). In one case, the anterior interatrial septal rim proved too short to allow safe GSO implantation and, instead, a different occluder was implanted. One patient developed transient neurological symptoms during the procedure without evidence for a stroke by magnetic resonance imaging. At 6-month follow-up, the closure rate was 86.6% (52/60). The complete closure rate after 1 year was 93.3% (56/60). Stroke, thrombus formation and atrial fibrillation (AF)/flutter occurred in 1 (1.7%), 1 (1.7%), and 5 (8.3%) patients, respectively. CONCLUSION: PFO closure with the GSO is accompanied by a high technical success rate and closure rates similar to other currently used devices. The incidence of AF was higher than reported with most other devices. This may be a chance finding but warrants further investigation in larger trials.