Baxter Health Introduces PFO Treatment Option to Reduce Risk of Current Stroke

Zaid Alirhayim, MD, board-certified interventional cardiologist, and the Baxter Health Heart Team have successfully performed their first PFO closure using Abbott’s Amplatzer Talisman PFO Occlusion System. This therapy treats patients with a patent foramen ovale (PFO) who are at risk of recurrent ischemic stroke.

A PFO is a small, flap-like opening in the heart that fails to close after birth, which can allow blood clots to pass from the right side of the heart to the left and potentially travel to the brain, increasing the risk of stroke. Studies show that patients under the age of 60 who have experienced a cryptogenic stroke (a stroke with no other identifiable cause) may benefit significantly from PFO closure to reduce their risk of future strokes.

“With the introduction of the Amplatzer Talisman PFO Occlusion System, we are able to offer our patients an effective and efficient treatment for reducing the risk of recurrent ischemic stroke,” said Dr. Alirhayim. “This procedure represents a major step forward in stroke prevention for our community. By closing the PFO, we can significantly lower the risk of recurrent strokes in younger patients who have already suffered one. This is an important option for patients and their physicians to consider. We were able to perform this procedure using intracardiac echocardiography (ICE), allowing us to perform the procedure without the need for general anesthesia, and enabling the patient to go home the very same day.”

Dr. Alirhayim is an interventional cardiologist with additional subspecialty fellowship training in structural heart disease interventions including TAVR, Watchman, transcatheter edge-to-edge repair and PFO closures. “I am excited that we are now able to offer this therapy to our patients who have experienced a cryptogenic stroke, and I encourage primary care providers, neurologists, and patients themselves to explore whether this treatment is right for them,” said Dr. Alirhayim.

For more information about PFO closure or to schedule a consultation, contact Baxter Health Cardiovascular Clinic at (870) 425-8288.