[Closure of a ventricular septum defect in a 4-year-old boy during percutaneous heart catheterisation]

A 4-year-old boy in whom a muscular ventricular septal defect (VSD) had been diagnosed at birth presented with limited exercise tolerance and mild cardiomegaly. The moderately large defect was closed with an umbrella device via percutaneous heart catheterisation. Thereafter, his symptoms disappeared and the dimensions of the left heart returned to normal. A VSD occurs in 1.5-3.5 per 1,000 live births. In symptomatic patients with a medium or large-sized VSD, surgical closure is indicated to prevent the development of a fixed pulmonary resistance hypertension, ventricular dysfunction and the risk of endocarditis. Depending on the size and localisation of the defect, closure with an umbrella device may be chosen. The initial results have been promising in children. The safety and efficacy in the long term are still unknown.