Ultrasound-guided PFO closure achieves 96.15% success rate in vestibular migraine

A recent study led by Chao Li found that the use of Transesophageal echocardiography-guided closure of patent foramen ovale (PFO) achieved a 96.15% success rate with enhanced clinical efficacy and favourable safety outcomes in migraine patients.

Published in the prestigious journal Technology and Health Care, the study explored the effectiveness and safety of ultrasound-guided closure of PFO as an alternative to surgery in treating vestibular migraine.

Fifty-two patients with vestibular migraine who underwent transesophageal echocardiography-guided PFO had a one-year follow-up as part of the study protocol.

Researchers documented an overall remission rate of 86.54% and a surgical success rate of 96.15%. The severity of the headache, frequency and timespan improved significantly.  The scores of the headache impact test-6, visual analogue scale, and migraine disability assessment questionnaires scores followed a decreasing trend at 1, 3, and 6 months post-surgery compared to pre-surgery levels.

During the study, one patient experienced atrial fibrillation shortly after surgery, which spontaneously converted to sinus rhythm. No other adverse events, such as hematoma at the puncture site, were observed among the patients during the perioperative period.

Closing PFO using transesophageal echocardiography-guided intervention effectively relieved vestibular migraine symptoms and improved the quality of life of those with this vertigo-causing neurological disease.