Risk of Stroke in Pulmonary Embolism With a Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO)

Pulmonary embolism is associated with a small but definite risk of paradoxical embolism in patients with a patent foramen ovale (PFO). While neurologic complications are unfrequent the incidence of clinically silent brain infarction is unknown. We will assess the rate of clinically apparent and silent cerebral embolism in patients with a pulmonary embolism (PE) in relation to the presence or not of a PFO.