Two cases of pericardial tamponade due to nitinol wire fracture of a gore septal occluder.

Percutaneous patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure is recommended for secondary prevention of paradoxical embolism through a PFO. In the United States, two Food and Drug Administration-approved PFO closure devices are currently available, and the choice depends on operator preference and PFO anatomy. Although these devices are easy to implant, there are several potential complications. As opposed to the Amplatzer PFO Occluder, there has been no published case of atrial erosion with Gore closure devices. This report describes two cases of pericardial tamponade due to perforation of the atrial wall induced by a wire frame fracture of the Gore Helex and Cardioform devices.