Can migraines be improved by PFO closure?
Some patients have experienced relief of their migraine headaches following PFO closure. At this time, PFO closure is still being performed for prevention of stroke and not for the treatment of migraine headaches. There are currently 3 clinical trials in the United States that are designed to determine if PFO closure is effective in the treatment of migraine. The clinical trials are sponsored by 3 manufacturers of the PFO closure devices. Premium is the clinical trial sponsored by AGA Medical, the manufacturer of the Amplatzer device. The other trials are sponsored by NMT Medical (MIST 2); the manufacturer of the CardioSeal and Starflex devices and the third trial is sponsored by St.Jude’s called the Escape trial. The clinical trials are available in limited geographical locations in the United States. To find a clinical research site in your area, you should go to the website of the manufacturer of the devices.
