Introduction
Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) is a congenital intracardiac defect present
in about 25% of the general population, due to incomplete fusion of
septum primum and secundum after birth. It predisposes to paradoxical
embolism, in which emboli from the peripheral venous system provoke
systemic strokes or infarcts. Given the low incidence of paradoxical
embolism (1% per year)1, percutaneous PFO closure is
performed only in presence of a thromboembolic event (e.g. stroke)
caused with high probability by the presence of a PFO associated with a
high risk of recurrence2. After the procedure, several
complications can occur: haemorrhage, pulmonary embolism, infective
endocarditis, cardiac perforation and device erosion, fracture,
thrombosis or embolization3. Device embolization is
very rare (0.1-0.4%) but potentially life-threatening, and requires
immediate removal of the embolized device3. Possible
migration sites are: pulmonary artery, heart chambers, aortic arch,
descending thoracic and abdominal aorta4. We report
below a case of embolization of a PFO occluder device into the abdominal
aorta.