Patent foramen ovale
MONDO:0020439A persistent opening in the atrial septum after birth. While a normal part of fetal circulation, the foramen ovale should close once the newborn begins breathing and the pressure in the left atrium exceeds that of the right atrium. While a PFO is generally asymptomatic, it can lead to the passage of clots from the venous circulation into the artierial circulation, resulting in paradoxical emboli, and possible strokes.
Also known as: ostium secundum type atrial septal defect, patent foramen ovale, patent foramen ovale (disease)
111 clinical trials for this condition and its sub-types, 36 tagged with Patent foramen ovale itself.
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Can a checklist and heart monitor stop repeat strokes?
Disease control Not yet recruitingResearchers are testing whether an educational and implementation tool helps hospitals follow best-practice guidelines for preventing second strokes caused by heart conditions. The trial enrolls about 2,400 patients who have had an ischemic stroke or a transient ischemic attack. …
Sponsor: Luciano A. Sposato • Aim: Disease control
Last updated Sep 20, 2026 00:00 UTC
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Can a diabetes pill help the heart heal after a hole is closed?
Disease control Not yet recruitingAdults with a secundum atrial septal defect (a hole in the heart) who are scheduled for device closure receive either dapagliflozin or a placebo for six months. Researchers use advanced echocardiography to measure how well the right side of the heart recovers and reverses its enl…
Sponsor: Assiut University • Aim: Disease control
Last updated Sep 19, 2026 00:00 UTC
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A second chance for the thymus: could reimplanting it during heart surgery shield immunity?
Disease control Not yet recruitingThis pilot study tests whether putting back a child's own thymus tissue during heart surgery is safe and helps support the immune system. In some congenital heart disease surgeries, the thymus is removed to reach the heart, which may weaken immunity. Researchers will compare chil…
Sponsor: Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati • Aim: Disease control
Last updated Sep 04, 2026 00:00 UTC
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Can a blood filter tame the inflammatory storm after pediatric heart surgery?
Disease control Not yet recruitingThis trial tests whether adding a blood-filtering device, called hemoadsorption, to the heart-lung machine can reduce harmful inflammation in children undergoing complex open-heart surgery. The device is designed to remove inflammatory proteins, known as cytokines, from the blood…
Sponsor: Norfaniza Zabidi • Aim: Disease control
Last updated Aug 20, 2026 00:00 UTC
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Can a stitch in time prevent a stroke? new device aims to close heart holes
Disease control Not yet recruitingThis trial tests a new suture system designed to close a patent foramen ovale (PFO), a small hole in the heart that can increase stroke risk. Researchers will compare the new device to an existing occluder in about 244 adults aged 18 to 65 with moderate-to-large PFOs. The goal is…
Sponsor: Shenzhen Bihe Medical Co., Ltd • Aim: Disease control
Last updated Jul 29, 2026 00:00 UTC
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Pre-surgery exercise program aims to boost heart fitness in adults born with heart defects
Disease control Not yet recruitingThis trial tests whether a personalized exercise program before heart surgery can improve physical fitness in adults with congenital heart disease. Participants are randomly assigned to either usual care or a 6-week prehabilitation plan with aerobic, breathing, and strength exerc…
Sponsor: Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust • Aim: Disease control
Last updated Jul 24, 2026 00:00 UTC
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New device aims to seal heart hole and prevent second strokes
Disease control Not yet recruitingThis study compares two medical devices used to close a small hole in the heart called a PFO, which can cause strokes. About 1,260 adults who have had a stroke or mini-stroke in the past year will be randomly assigned to receive either the Cocoon PFO Occluder or the Amplatzer PFO…
Sponsor: Giuseppe Tarantini • Aim: Disease control
Last updated Jun 27, 2026 12:00 UTC
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New dissolving heart plug could stop strokes without lifelong drugs
Disease control Not yet recruitingThis study tests a new biodegradable device that closes a common heart hole (PFO) in people who have already had a stroke or mini-stroke. The device is placed through a tube in the leg and dissolves over time, leaving no permanent implant. The trial will check if it safely and ef…
Sponsor: Shanghai Lingsi Medical Technology Co., Ltd. • Aim: Disease control
Last updated Jun 27, 2026 08:05 UTC
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Can AI help doctors hear hidden heart defects in children?
Diagnosis Not yet recruitingResearchers in Qinghai Province, China, are testing whether artificial intelligence can help primary care doctors spot congenital heart disease during school-based screening. Schools are randomly assigned to either standard listening with a stethoscope or listening plus AI analys…
Sponsor: Kun Sun • Aim: Diagnosis
Last updated Sep 21, 2026 15:00 UTC
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Can a scan before birth predict a Baby's heart defect?
Diagnosis Not yet recruitingResearchers at Assiut University Hospitals are studying how well fetal heart scans before birth match the heart diagnoses babies receive after delivery. The study includes pregnant women referred for fetal echocardiography and newborns with confirmed critical congenital heart dis…
Sponsor: Assiut University • Aim: Diagnosis
Last updated Sep 18, 2026 00:00 UTC
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Could a forehead sensor replace needle sticks for hemoglobin checks in kids?
Diagnosis Not yet recruitingThis study enrolls children and young adults scheduled for heart surgery or catheterization under general anesthesia. Researchers place a forehead sensor that measures tissue oxygen levels and use an algorithm to estimate blood hemoglobin. The goal is to see if this noninvasive m…
Sponsor: Boston Children's Hospital • Aim: Diagnosis
Last updated Jul 29, 2026 00:00 UTC
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Chest X-Ray may speed up heart defect detection in newborns
Diagnosis Not yet recruitingThis study will check how accurate chest X-rays are at finding congenital heart disease in newborns. Researchers will study 60 babies in the NICU who show signs of heart problems. Each baby gets a chest X-ray within 24 hours and an echocardiogram within 72 hours. By comparing the…
Sponsor: Assiut University • Aim: Diagnosis
Last updated Jun 27, 2026 12:05 UTC
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VR headset may calm kids before heart procedure
Symptom relief Not yet recruitingChildren scheduled for angiography often feel anxious, which can affect their heart rate, blood pressure and cooperation during the procedure. This trial tests whether a short virtual reality guided breathing exercise, delivered through a headset showing calming scenery, can redu…
Sponsor: Gazi University • Aim: Symptom relief
Last updated Sep 21, 2026 15:00 UTC
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Heart procedure may offer lasting migraine relief, new study hopes to prove
Symptom relief Not yet recruitingThis study looks at people with migraines who also have a small hole in the heart (PFO). Participants first take a blood-thinning drug (prasugrel) to see if their migraines improve. Those who respond are randomly assigned to either continue the drug alone or have a procedure to c…
Phase 3 • Sponsor: Columbia University • Aim: Symptom relief
Last updated Jul 31, 2026 00:00 UTC
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A window into the heart: new monitor may track oxygen in real time during pediatric surgery
Knowledge-focused Not yet recruitingThis observational study tests whether a new device, the SpectroCor Tissue Oxygenation Monitor, can accurately track oxygen levels in the heart muscle of children undergoing open-heart surgery. The device uses a sensor placed on the heart to measure oxygen availability during key…
Sponsor: Spectrocor • Aim: Knowledge-focused
Last updated Aug 29, 2026 00:00 UTC
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New heart camera aims to make procedures safer
Knowledge-focused Not yet recruitingThis study will test a new ultrasound catheter called VeriSight Pro that takes pictures from inside the heart. Doctors will use it during procedures like closing a hole in the heart or fixing a valve. The goal is to see if it helps guide these procedures safely and effectively. A…
Sponsor: Philips Clinical & Medical Affairs Global • Aim: Knowledge-focused
Last updated Aug 21, 2026 00:00 UTC
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Could a tiny heart hole worsen altitude sickness?
Knowledge-focused Not yet recruitingThis study looks at how a small opening in the heart, called a patent foramen ovale (PFO), affects blood flow and oxygen levels during exercise and simulated high altitude. About a third of people have this opening, which may allow oxygen-poor blood to mix with oxygen-rich blood,…
Sponsor: University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center • Aim: Knowledge-focused
Last updated Aug 05, 2026 00:00 UTC
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New device may help surgeons see blood flow during Kids' heart surgery
Knowledge-focused Not yet recruitingThis study will test a handheld device called IntraOx that uses light to measure oxygen levels in heart and liver tissue during complex heart surgery in children. The goal is to see if it can give surgeons useful information about blood flow without interfering with the operation…
Sponsor: Boston Children's Hospital • Aim: Knowledge-focused
Last updated Jun 27, 2026 08:13 UTC
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Heart hole closure may rewire migraine brains, study hints
Knowledge-focused Not yet recruitingThis study looks at 45 adults with migraine and a small hole in the heart (PFO). Researchers will use brain scans and thinking tests to see if closing the hole changes brain activity, mood, and migraine symptoms over a year. The goal is to understand the link between PFO and migr…
Sponsor: Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University • Aim: Knowledge-focused
Last updated Jun 27, 2026 08:11 UTC
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Tiny probe tracks antibiotic in Kids' chests after heart surgery
Knowledge-focused Not yet recruitingThis study looks at how the antibiotic cefazolin spreads in the chest tissue of 10 children after heart surgery for congenital heart disease. A small probe placed during surgery will measure drug levels over 36 hours. The goal is to create a computer model to help doctors give th…
Sponsor: Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris • Aim: Knowledge-focused
Last updated Jun 27, 2026 08:09 UTC
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New ultrasound technique could reveal hidden brain risks in babies with heart disease
Knowledge-focused Not yet recruitingThis study will test a new, non-invasive ultrasound technique that captures brain blood flow in real time for infants with congenital heart disease. Researchers aim to understand how medical treatments and surgeries affect the brain, potentially explaining why some children later…
Sponsor: University Hospital, Bordeaux • Aim: Knowledge-focused
Last updated Jun 27, 2026 08:05 UTC