Man has "miracle" recovery after heart defect causes rare massive stroke
Summary
Todd Meiklejohn, a healthy and active adult education teacher, suffered a massive stroke caused by a rare heart defect called patent foramen ovale (PFO). Thanks to quick medical action, including surgery to remove a blood clot, he recovered quickly with little lasting damage.Key Facts
- On August 8, 2025, Todd Meiklejohn experienced sudden stroke symptoms including paralysis on his right side and blurry vision.
- His wife found him on the floor about 45 minutes later and called 911.
- He was rushed to a hospital where doctors performed a mechanical thrombectomy, a procedure to remove a blood clot from his brain.
- The surgery took place just 38 minutes after the emergency call, minimizing brain damage.
- Meiklejohn regained movement and speech shortly after surgery and left the hospital within 48 hours.
- Doctors discovered Meiklejohn had a patent foramen ovale (PFO), a small opening between heart chambers that did not close after birth.
- PFO is common and usually harmless, but in rare cases can allow blood clots to bypass the lungs and cause strokes.
- Meiklejohn’s stroke was caused by a clot traveling through his PFO to his brain, which is an unusual cause of stroke.
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