What are the opening hours?

Monday 8:30am - 5pm Tuesday 8:30am - 5pm Wednesday 8:30am - 5pm Thursday 8:30am - 5pm Friday 8:30am - 5pm

Hole In The Heart Clinic

Home
Australia
Gold Coast, QLD
Hole In The Heart Clinic

We test for PFO's (Patent Foramen Ovale), more commonly known as a Hole in the Heart, which affects 1 in 4 people.

11/03/2025

Trisha's Story

An unstoppable athlete, Trisha dismissed her frequent migraines and dizziness as overexertion - until a PFO diagnosis changed everything.

After undergoing a PFO closure, she felt an immediate difference - clearer mind, fewer migraines, and no more dizziness!

Read her full journey by clicking the link below.

https://holeintheheartclinic.com.au/crossfit-athlete-and-scuba-diver-discovers-pfo-is-blocking-her-true-potential/

30/01/2025

Did you know that 1 in 4 people have a Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) also known as a hole in the heart?

Do you experience these symptoms?
1. Brain Fog
2. Fatigue
3. Shortness of breath
4. High blood pressure
5. Migraines with aura
6. Exercise intolerance

50% of people who suffer from these conditions have a significantly sized hole in the heart.

For more information on PFO's please visit our website. https://holeintheheartclinic.com.au/

09/01/2025

Q: How much is the TCD testing?
A: The TCD test costs $750

Q: Is there a Medicare rebate?
A: The test attracts a Medicare rebate of approximately $68 where there is a clinical indication (symptom) for testing.

Q: What if the result from my cardiologist is different to the TCD test?
A: Should your cardiologist have a different result to our TCD, you will require a CTPA to check there are no vascular abnormalities in the lungs, and to see that there are no bubbles in the left to right shunt that can be missed by the cardiologist who is looking at the heart. The optimum way to confirm is to use a guidewire, which some cardiologists do during a TOE procedure.
For more information on TCD's or PFO's please visit out website.
https://holeintheheartclinic.com.au/

10/12/2024

Our doctors are experts in managing a range of vein conditions and are experts at using this test as part of clinical assessment.

Our doctors are skilled at using the ultrasound for accurate access to even the smallest veins, ensuring the most accurate test results. Structural and interventional cardiologists are experts in closing these holes and are located in South-East Queensland, Sydney and Melbourne and work closely with our team.

Dr Lekich – Medical Director of Hole in The Heart Clinic has accumulated extensive experience in identifying PFO’s through the reliability of the TCD test and work closely with structural cardiologists to facilitate the closures.
Dr Lekich recommends the TCD over other forms of testing, such as echocardiography, as recent studies have proven the TCD to be overwhelmingly more accurate.

For more information on PFOs and how to treat a hole in the heart, please visit our website: https://holeintheheartclinic.com.au

29/10/2024

CrossFit athlete and adventure enthusiast Trisha discovered a hidden PFO after years of unexplained migraines and light-headedness, forcing her to pause her active lifestyle and dive ambitions. Thanks to a Transcranial Doppler (TCD) test, she identified the heart condition and underwent a life-changing closure procedure, reclaiming her health and focus. Now, Trisha is back to training stronger than ever and ready to tackle new goals. Click the link below to read her inspiring story!
https://holeintheheartclinic.com.au/crossfit-athlete-and-scuba-diver-discovers-pfo-is-blocking-her-true-potential/

27/09/2024

A hole in the heart can increase stroke risk.

People are at higher risk of a stroke if they have a hole in the heart as well as the following conditions:
1. Blood clots / DVTs and blood clotting disorders
2. Fat entering the bloodstream associated with fractures of bones, orthopaedic surgery, liposuction surgery.
3. Amniotic fluid associated with childbirth
4. Nitrogen associated with “the bends” and scuba diving
5. A diagnosis & minimally invasive closure means a lifetime of stroke risk can be avoided.

For more information on PFOs and how to treat a hole in the heart, please visit our website: https://holeintheheartclinic.com.au

15/08/2024

Once detected, there are a variety of options to manage PFOs (a hole in the heart), including closing the hole entirely. Options include:

1. Medicine such as aspirin or anticoagulants to help prevent blood clots.

2. Closure of the PFO with a minimally invasive procedure. You are in experienced hands, with a high safety profile, and the procedure takes approximately 20-30 minutes. It is minimally invasive, using a catheter, and avoids open-heart surgery.

3. Closure of the PFO during open-heart surgery. This is rare and typically not recommended, as a catheter-based procedure is far less invasive and more affordable.

For more information on PFOs and how to treat a hole in the heart, please visit our website: https://holeintheheartclinic.com.au/

08/07/2024

The Transcranial Doppler is the most sensitive way to flag a hole in the heart. It is more sensitive than a transoesophageal echocardiogram (TOE) and a trans-thoracic echocardiogram (TTE). A general anaesthetic is not required.

Apart from the ‘drip’ in the arm or leg, it is a painless test that uses ultrasound to detect real time measures of blood flow velocity throughout certain parts of the vascular system in the brain.

The TCD test requires a small amount of saline solution with micro bubbles to be injected into a vein while brain activity is monitored. If any of the micro bubbles have reached the brain, this is an indication that unfiltered blood is circulating through the body. The number of micro bubbles that reach the brain can be accurately counted to determine how significant the abnormality is.

For more information on TCD's and what we can do to help, please visit our website https://holeintheheartclinic.com.au/the-tcd-test/

14/06/2024

A Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) is a common condition where a small flap-like structure in the heart allows blood to cross over from the right atrium into the left atrium of the heart. This means unfiltered venous blood bypasses the filtering of the lungs and mixes with freshly filtered arterial blood for recirculation through the brain and body.

It is normal for a foetus to have a hole in the heart as it would naturally close after birth, however for 25-30% of people it does not close, and some are large.

It is not known why only a certain portion of the population retains a PFO. It is also not known why some people are unaffected and why others are affected by migraines, strokes, fatigue, breathing issues and decompression illness.

For more information like how to manage a PFO and what we can do to help, please visit our website by clicking learn more.

01/05/2024

Did you know that 1 in 4 people have a Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) also known as a hole in the heart? 50% of people who suffer from these common symptoms have a significantly sized hole in the heart.

1. Brain Fog
2. Fatigue
3. Shortness of breath
4. Exercise
5. Migraines with Aura
6. High blood pressure

For more information on PFO's and what we can do to help please visit our website https://holeintheheartclinic.com.au/about-a-pfo/

Address

24 Hillcrest Parade
Gold Coast, QLD
4220

Opening Hours

Monday	8:30am - 5pm
Tuesday	8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday	8:30am - 5pm
Thursday	8:30am - 5pm
Friday	8:30am - 5pm

Website

https://holeintheheartclinic.com.au/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Hole In The Heart Clinic posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Want your practice to be the top-listed Clinic in Gold Coast?