Antiplatelet and antithrombotic therapy after patent foramen oval and atrial septal defect closure.

Pathologies of the atrial septum include different interatrial communications varying from patent foramen ovale (PFO) to true defects. Atrial septal defects (ASDs) may be localized within the fossa ovalis such as the secundum type ASD or outside the region of fossa ovalis, such as the ostium primum defect and sinus venosus defect. Over the last decades, the percutaneous closure of interatrial shunts has become a feasible and safe method. During these procedures, the delicate balance between thrombotic risk, device sealing process and bleeding risk is crucial. In this review we sought to describe current available data on the antiplatelet and antithrombotic management of patients after percutaneous ASD or PFO closure.