The Brain-Heart Team Approach: Secondary Prevention After a Presumed PFO-Mediated Stroke-PFO and Stroke Etiology: Using the Right Tools for Improving Stroke Diagnosis, John J. Volpi

PFO and Stroke Etiology: Using the Right Tools for Improving Stroke Diagnosis, John J. Volpi

Video Transcription

Video Summary

In this video, Dr. Volpi discusses the burden of PFO (patent foramen ovale) associated stroke and the challenges in diagnosing and treating it. He highlights the importance of stroke etiology and how it influences treatment decisions. He explains the different classification schemes for stroke, including the TOAST criteria and ESUS (embolic stroke of undetermined source). Dr. Volpi also discusses the prevalence of PFO in stroke patients and the aging population's increased risk for PFO-related stroke. He suggests a general approach to PFO diagnosis, including vessel evaluation, EKG, and bubble studies. He emphasizes the use of transcranial doppler (TCD) as a tool to improve PFO diagnosis and compares it to transesophageal echo (TEE). He also mentions the use of the robotic-assisted TCD in detecting right to left shunts. Dr. Volpi concludes by emphasizing the need for a comprehensive evaluation beyond imaging to accurately diagnose PFO-related stroke. No credits were granted in the transcript.

Keywords

PFO

stroke

diagnosis

treatment

transcranial doppler