Can patent foramen ovale affect rehabilitation? The uncommon association of platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome and stroke

Neurol Sci. 2011 Jun;32(3):513-4. doi: 10.1007/s10072-011-0572-x. Epub 2011 Apr 6.

Abstract

Platypnea-orthodeoxia is a rare syndrome characterized by dyspnea and deoxygenation induced by a change to a sitting or standing from a recumbent position. It is the result of posturally accentuated intracardiac or pulmonary right-to-left shunt leading to arterial oxygen desaturation. Only few cases of platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome are reported in the literature and the association between stroke and platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome with evidence of patent foramen ovale is extremely rare. We describe the case of a 67-year-old female admitted to our Rehabilitation Unit for disabling basilar stroke due to paradoxical embolism from patent foramen ovale that during the first days of rehabilitation showed signs and symptoms of platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome. To remove a life-threatening condition for the patient and in order to develop the normal rehabilitation project, that was stopped by the platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome, the patient fastly underwent to percutaneous closure of patent foramen ovale. The stabilization of oxygen arterial saturation with postural changes and the disappearance of symptoms of POS allowed to develop the rehabilitation project with progressive neurological improvement.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Dyspnea, Paroxysmal / etiology
  • Dyspnea, Paroxysmal / rehabilitation*
  • Female
  • Foramen Ovale, Patent / complications*
  • Foramen Ovale, Patent / rehabilitation*
  • Foramen Ovale, Patent / surgery
  • Humans
  • Hypoxia / etiology
  • Hypoxia / rehabilitation
  • Stroke / etiology
  • Stroke Rehabilitation*
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency / etiology*
  • Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency / rehabilitation*