[Surgery for atrial septal defect in patients over 40 years of age (author's transl)]

Between 1961 and 1972, 354 patients with atrial septal defect ware treated surgically. Of these 80 patients were aged over 40 years at the time of operation. The hospital mortality was 5%. 2 of these patients had a increased preoperative pulmonary artery systolic pressure (50-75 mmHg), the other 2 had a mitral or tricuspid incompetence. At late follow-up 82% of patients were symptomfree, 18% had slight clinical signs of breathlesness on exertion. The heart size decreased in 37 of 40 patients, the electrocardiographis signs of right ventricular hypertrophy in 23 patients. There was no influence on preexistant dysrhythmias by the operation. It is concluded that patients with atrial septal defect in this age group benefit from surgical closure of the defect.