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Persistencia del agujero oval - Overview

Nombres alternativos

Comunicación interauricular alta

Definición:

Mientras el bebé crece en el útero, existe una abertura normal entre las aurículas izquierda y derecha (cámaras superiores) del corazón. Si esta abertura no logra cerrarse de manera natural poco después de que el bebé nace, el orificio se denomina persistencia del agujero oval.

Causas, incidencia y factores de riesgo:

Un agujero oval permite que la sangre se desvíe y eluda los pulmones. Los pulmones de un bebé no se usan cuando éste crece dentro del útero, de tal manera que el agujero no causa problemas en un bebé que no ha nacido. Se supone que el agujero se cierra poco después del nacimiento, pero algunas veces no lo hace, y en aproximadamente 1 de 4 personas nunca se cierra. Si no lo hace, esto se denomina persistencia del agujero oval (PFO, por sus siglas en inglés).

La causa de la persistencia del agujero oval se desconoce y no existen factores de riesgo conocidos.

  • Reviewed last on: 12/28/2009
  • David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc., and Kurt R. Schumacher, MD, Pediatric Cardiology, University of Michigan Congenital Heart Center, Ann Arbor, MI. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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