Twenty-Year Follow-Up After Patent Foramen Ovale Closure in Patients With Paradoxical Embolism

The results of this cohort study with 20-year follow-up showed the sustained very long-term safety and efficacy of transcatheter PFO closure, with less than 1% rate of recurrent stroke events. However, bleeding events occurred in about 1 in 10 patients and were more frequent in women and in patients under long-term antithrombotic therapy. These findings underscore the need for tailored long-term antithrombotic strategies after PFO closure. Further studies are warranted.