Has anyone treated a child with the heart condition pfo (patent forearm ovale)?

Everybody has one: The patent foramen ovale (pfo) is a structure all of us have that allows blood circulation to bypass the lungs before birth.After birth, the rise in blood oxygen content from air breathing triggers a gradual closing of the fo.In premi's, it is more likely to remain open & sometimes meds can trigger closure the first wk or so.Persisting fo's can be tied off surgically or closed through a catheter.

Yes, but...: I am a pediatric cardiologist and close PFOs. PFOs are present in 25% of the general population and is considered a normal variant (i.e. not a "condition" per se). That said, a PFO can be important if the child has other issues (such as blood clots or recurrent strokes). The standard of care is to close PFOs in the cath lab if needed. Please discuss your child's case with his/her ped cardiologist.