The launch of our dedicated Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) Closure Program at Bridgeport Hospital’s Heart and Vascular Center is an exciting milestone, not just for our team, but for patients throughout Greater Fairfield County.
Why PFO Closure Matters
Cryptogenic stroke, which means a stroke without a clearly identifiable cause, makes up a sizable portion of ischemic strokes, particularly in younger and middle-aged adults.
For some of these individuals, a PFO, which is a small flap-like opening between the upper chambers of the heart that never fully closed after birth, may allow a blood clot to travel from the veins to the arteries, where it can reach the brain and cause a stroke. Over the last decade, several well-designed clinical trials have shown that closing a PFO when appropriate can significantly reduce risk of having another stroke, compared to using medication alone.
A Collaborative, Team-Based Approach
PFO closure is never a cardiology-only decision, and that’s an essential part of our philosophy. We work with neurologists at Bridgeport Hospital who provide deep expertise in stroke diagnosis and follow-up care. This partnership ensures each patient receives a full neurological evaluation, so we can be confident a patient’s stroke was cryptogenic and the PFO is likely a factor that led to that stroke.
Our collaborative model means patients benefit from:
- comprehensive imaging, such as advanced echocardiography and brain imaging,
- thoughtful, shared decision-making, where we review risks, benefits and alternatives; and
- coordinated follow-up focused on longterm stroke prevention.
We’ve designed the program to be streamlined and patient-centered, making the entire process from initial evaluation to follow-up care as supportive and clear as possible.
A Valuable Resource Close to Home
For patients across Greater Fairfield County, this program fills an important need. As part of Bridgeport Hospital’s broader stroke and cardiovascular services, the PFO Closure Program strengthens our role as a regional leader in acute stroke care and long-term prevention strategies.This procedure is also offered at Yale New Haven Hospital.
At Yale New Haven Health Heart and Vascular Center, we translate scientific research into practical, accessible care to reduce recurrent strokes, advance structural cardiology in our region and support long term patient health.
Interventional cardiologist Matthew Seigerman, MD, is a board-certified cardiologist with Northeast Medical Group. He’s dedicated to providing patient-centered care across a broad range of cardiovascular conditions. The Heart & Vascular Center at Bridgeport Hospital is part of Yale New Haven Health’s Heart & Vascular Center.
