JAMA : the journal of the American Medical Association
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Perioperative stroke is a major complication for patients undergoing surgery. Patent foramen ovale (PFO) represents a possible anatomical link between venous thrombosis and stroke. ⋯ Among adult patients undergoing noncardiac surgery at 3 hospitals, having a preoperatively diagnosed PFO was significantly associated with increased risk of perioperative ischemic stroke within 30 days after surgery. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and to determine whether interventions would decrease this risk.