VSD Closure / Repair (Adult)

Depending on location, age and general health of the child the operation procedure is decided

Atrial septal defect treatment

When ASDs do not close by themselves as observed in periodic checkups then catheter or surgical procedure has to be adopted. Surgeons decide to close the holes when the child is 2 to 5 years old and the hole size is medium or large

Catheter procedure

Till 1990s surgery was the only usual method to close ASDs but due to advance technologies now catheter procedures can close secundum ASDs.  The child will be given medicine so that he or she sleeps through the ASD device closure procedure. Now a catheter is inserted into the groin’s vein and threads it up to the septum of the heart. A tiny umbrella like device is folded up inside the catheter. Angiography or echocardiography is used to see the threading path of the catheter.

The device is pushed out of the catheter after reaching the septum and so positioned that it acts like a plug in the hold between the atria. The device will be kept in position while the catheter will be slowly withdrawn.

Within a period of 6 months, over this device normal tissues will start growing in. As the child grows the closure device is not required to be replaced. Normal development would take place gradually without affecting the operations of the heart.

Only a needle puncture is made in the above described procedure and hence this is less invasive as a procedure. They are usually successful until and unless the hole is too large and only an open surgery can solve the problem.

Surgery

For primum or sinus venosus ASDs an open heart surgery is recommended. Here too medicines will ensure that the child sleeps though the process.  In the chest an incision is made at first. With a special path that covers the hole the defect is repaired. On a heart lung bypass machine the child is placed to ensure that the heart can be opened to perform the surgery.

ASD device closure surgery complications

• Bleeding and infection are quite rare and outlook for children after the surgery is found to be excellent.
• Pericarditis complication can be solved with medicines where inflammation happens in the heart’s outer lining and as a result fluid gets collected in the space.

Antibiotics will be administered to the child to prevent infection like endocarditis. Regular checkups will follow for a while to ensure that the hole gets closed properly. To prevent blood clots the child may be given aspirin. Apart from all these, for the first few months, activities will be kept limited till he or she is fit enough to exert more with physical activities.