The purpose of this work is to report one-year experience in day case transcatheter closure of PFO using different occluders. A comparison study is also performed between the Figulla Flex II and PFO Amplatzer devices.

From January to December 2018, 106 patients suffering from a stroke underwent transcatheter PFO closure as day-case procedure.

Devices employed included: Figulla Flex II (Occlutech, n=66), PFO AmplatzerTM (AGA, Saint Jude medical) (n=36), CeraFlex PFO Occluder (Lifetech scientific, n=2) and Nit-occlude PFO (PFM medical, n=2). Procedure was performed under local anaesthesia with fluoroscopic and transthoracic echocardiographic (TTE) guidance. Implantation succeeded in all. The complications included transient ST deviation in 10 patients due to air embolism with no permanent damage. In 2 cases, the hospital discharge was delayed: one because femoral fistula requiring compression (day 5) and the other because of pericardial effusion requiring no drainage (day 2). At the one-month control, 5 patients complained of chest tightness, 8 reported palpitations, 5 had AF. Eighty-eight patients had no shunt on contrast TTE, 17 had a persistent shunt, and 1 was lost on follow-up. At the 6-month control, 8 of these 17 patients had no persistent shunt. In the comparative study between Occlutech and Amplatzer devices, patient were older in-group Amplatzer but had a similar weight. No significant difference could be observed between the 2 groups concerning time of fluoroscopy, dose of radiation, ST deviation, and persistence of shunt at one month (P=NS). No recurrence of stroke was noticed during follow-up (127±98 days).

Transcatheter PFO closure as a day case procedure is safe and effective. This approach is not more risky for the patients in terms of embolisation and final results. No significant difference could be observed between the Occlutech and Amplatzer PFO devices.