Northwestern Memorial Hospital Logo

Home > Cardiovascular Institute > Heart Valve Disease

Patent Foramen Ovale Closure

After the Treatment
You will be on bed rest for at least four to eight hours to allow the vein to seal. It is important to keep the affected leg straight at all times. The nurses will be in often to check your blood pressure, heart rate and groin site. Once bed rest is over, the nurses will assist you to sit up and walk. You may be discharged at the end of the day or possibly the following morning. A chest X-ray and/or and echocardiogram may be done prior to discharge.

Home Care
Follow these guidelines to assist your recovery.

Medicines & Device ID

After your procedure, you will need to take:

• Aspirin 325mg (soluble) once a day for 6 months
• Plavix® 75 mg once a day for 3 months

Aspirin and Plavix® are "blood thinners" (anticoagulants) to help prevent blood clots. Your cardiologist will decide if any anticoagulants are needed beyond six months.

A closure device ID card will be mailed to your home after your procedure. Carry it with you at all times. It is important that all healthcare providers are aware of this device.

For six months after a PFO closure, you will need to take antibiotics before medical or dental procedures. This helps prevent the risk of infection to the device. Always inform your other healthcare providers before having medical or dental procedures that you have this device.

Diabetics

• If you are taking Metformin, the nurse will give you an order for a blood creatinine test. This blood test should be done at least 48 hours after your treatment.
• Do not take Metformin until the doctor or cath lab nurse tells you to resume. Most patients may begin Metformin 48 hours after the treatment.
• Follow your doctor's advice about caring for your diabetes (diet, other medicines and monitoring your blood sugar levels). Contact the doctor who manages your diabetes if there are any changes in your diabetes control.

Activity
While the wound is healing, bleeding or swelling can occur as a result of stress or strain to the groin and abdominal muscles. Carefully follow these guidelines:

• On the day of discharge, limit your activities
• No driving for 24 hours
• You may shower after 24 hours, but no tub baths for one week
• Climb stairs with a slow, steady pace until two days after the procedure

You may resume your usual activities the day after discharge, including normal social activities, except:

• No heavy lifting of objects greater than 10 pounds for the next three days.
• No strenuous physical exercise for one week (i.e., tennis, running, swimming, golfing, weightlifting or bicycling).
• No sexual activity for one week.
• No contact sports for four weeks.

Wound Care
After the procedure, a small dressing will be applied to the wound site. You may remove the dressing the day after the procedure. Do not reapply a new dressing or band-aid. Avoid lotions, ointments, or powders at the wound site for one week.

Wound Healing
The healing wound should remain soft and dry. A bruise (black and blue) or a marble-sized lump may be present. Please notify your doctor or the cardiac cath lab doctor if any of the following signs appear:

• Redness around the wound
• Drainage from the wound
• A lump at the puncture site that enlarges or is larger than a marble
• Pain at the puncture site that makes walking difficult
• Numbness or tingling in the thigh or leg
• Calf tenderness or pain
• Swelling of the ankle or foot
• Increased area of the bruising with discoloration extending into the thigh, over the buttock or into the groin
• Discoloration or coolness of the leg or foot

Oozing/Bleeding
If you notice bleeding from the puncture site, please do the following things:

• Immediately lie flat.
• Apply firm pressure just above the puncture site and hold firm pressure for 15 minutes. You may use a clean cloth or tissue to apply pressure. If possible, have another person apply the pressure.
• After 15 minutes, remove pressure. The wound should be dry and flat, without bleeding. You should continue to lie flat for about one hour before getting up and walking.
• Cover the wound with a band-aid.
• Notify your doctor of this incident.

If bleeding persists for more than 15 minutes or swelling occurs which appears to be increasing, you should be taken to the nearest emergency room for evaluation of the groin site.

Notify the doctor right away if you have any chest pain or shortness of breath.

If a problem occurs or if you have any questions, do not hesitate to call the cath lab at (312) 926-5135.

Follow-Up Care
You should arrange for follow-up appointments as instructed by your cardiologist. An outpatient transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) may be done six months after a PFO closure.