A 'twice closed' patent foramen ovale: a case report of percutaneous management of a residual interatrial shunt in a patient with persistent migraine symptoms

Background: Residual interatrial shunt following percutaneous patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure is a rare complication that can be associated with persistent migraine.

Case summary: A 32-year-old woman with a history of percutaneous PFO closure due to a previous coronary paradoxical embolism and a condition of drug-refractory migraine underwent transoesophageal echocardiography (TOE) to investigate further recurrent migraine attacks. A partial displacement of a PFO occluder device was found, and it was successfully treated through the fluoroscopic and TOE-guided positioning of a second occluder in overlap with the previous one. The patient reported no more migraine attacks at the 6-month follow-up visit.

Discussion: Residual interatrial shunt should be suspected in patients with persistent migraine and a history of percutaneous PFO closure. Fluoroscopic and TOE-guided closure of residual interatrial shunt with a second PFO occlude device seems to be a safe and clinically effective strategy to manage persistent migraine.