Abstract
This case details an unusual situation in which a paradoxical embolus causes an infarct. Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) can act as a portal for an embolus to traverse when travelling from the venous to the arterial circulation. PFO is a relatively common incidental finding in the general population with an incidence of approximately 25 %. PFO is associated with a low risk of recurrent stroke except when associated with an atrial septal aneurysm. Strokes can arise from in situ thrombus formation, paradoxical embolus or by triggering atrial arrhythmias. Closure should be considered if it the PFO is implicated in the cause of stroke but may not be beneficial so an alternative cause must be clearly ruled out. PFO is more common in individuals with migraine and there is some evidence that closure may help relieve these.
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© 2015 Springer-Verlag London
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Gill, S.K., Losseff, N. (2015). An Unusual Case of Paradoxical Embolus. In: Gill, S., Brown, M., Robertson, F., Losseff, N. (eds) Stroke Medicine. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-6705-1_22
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-6705-1_22
Publisher Name: Springer, London
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