Transcatheter device closure of secundum atrial septal defect (ASD) in young children

To analyze the safety and efficacy of device closure of secundum atrial septal defect in children = 5 years of age. Study Design: Quasi-experimental study. Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted at Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology / National Institute of Heart Diseases Rawalpindi, Pakistan from Dec 2010 - Dec 2012. Patients and Method: Forty eight patients = 5 years of age underwent transcatheter closure of secundum ASD during two years. All patients were evaluated with 2-D echocardiography before the procedure. The sizing balloon was used in 6% and general anaesthesia was given in 83% (n=40) of patients. Results: Ninety seven point nine percent (47/48) had successful closure of ASD. The mean age was 4.1 +- 6.8 years (range 2.5-5 years) and 58.4% (28/48) were females. The defect size and occluders used were between 5-20 mm (mean 12 +-- 3.5) and 8-22 mm (mean 15 +- 3.9) respectively, three patients had simultaneous procedures including pulmonary valvuloplasty in two and percutaneous transmitral commissurotomy (PTMC) in one. The major complications remained 2% (1/48) which included device embolization just after release of device while minor complication rate was 12.5%. The median procedure time was 30 min (15-100 min) and median fluoroscopic time was 6 min (1.50-45 min). There was no emergency surgical exploration or death during this period. Conclusion: Transcatheter device closure of suitable secundum atrial septal defect is effective and safe in young children in skilled and professional hands. (author)