Lotem said that during the heartcatheterization procedure doctors would use a thin plastic tube to insert an "umbrella-like" device that will seal the hole between the two upper chambers of the heart.
Additional tests may include a nuclear stress test to assess for blockages in the coronary arteries, and if positive, a cardiac catheterization, an invasive test which involves threading a thin wire into the heart to assess for blockages in the coronary arteries as well.
The stress thallium and the cardio catheterization, in which dye is injected in the coronary arteries (arteries of the heart muscle) are both useful in telling us if there is any coronary artery disease.