There is a proven link between a congenital heart defect a permeable foramen ovale and a particular neurological pathology, such as cerebrovascular accidents, transitory ischemic accidents (TIA), syncopy... This is a congenital anomaly that keeps two of the heart?s cavities connected (the left and right auricles), which are normally separated by the interauricular septum. The persistence of this connection allows clots generated in the lower limbs, by an embolic phenomenon, to be diverted towards the cerebral circulation on arriving in the heart.

 In September 2003, HOSPITEN's Interventionist Cardiology Department, headed by Dr. Zuheir Kabbani, performed closure of a permeable foramen ovale for the first time in Tenerife.

This treatment is performed under a simple local anaesthetic and by means of a percutaneous puncture, through which - with the aid of a catheter - a double-sided occlusive disc which is freed once positioned at the level of the interauricular defect. The procedure yields the same results as surgery, with the added advantage of having fewer complications and a shorter hospitalisation period.

Intracardiac Echocardiography (IVUS): this is an additional test of great value and assistance in the percutaneous treatment of the pathological interauricular septum (permeable foramen ovale, interauricular connection), which allows specialists to dispense with transoesophagal echocardiography, thus reducing complications and the duration of the procedure. It also improved the quality of the images viewed during the procedure, and the appropriate position and freeing of the closure devices; it also favours the early discharge of the patient.