[Percutaneous closure of a mid-muscular residual ventricular septal defect using the Amplatzer(TM) device]

We present the case of a 6-year old boy with a mid-muscular residual ventricular septal defect (VSD) of difficult surgical access, who underwent transcatheter closure using the Amplatzer(TM) VSD occluder. Transcatheter closure was guided by transthoracic echocardiography and successful closure was achieved with a 12 mm diameter VSD occluder, with no complications. Chest radiography showed a considerable decrease in cardiomegaly and normalization of pulmonary vascular markings before 24 hours, and echocardiography showed correct positioning of the Amplatzer(TM) VSD device without residual shunt through the device and minimal residual shunt in an apical VSD. After a 3-month follow-up, the patient was asymptomatic and echocardiography showed that the device was correctly positioned with minimal residual apical shunt.