Information for the public
The procedure
The procedure
The aim of the procedure is to close the hole in the heart, and so prevent clots from passing through it to the brain.
The patient is given a sedative and a local anaesthetic, or a general anaesthetic. A puncture is made in a vein in the groin, and a small device is passed into the vein, up through the body and into the heart. The doctor usually uses an ultrasound picture to help guide the device into place and close the hole in the heart.