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Updated: Aug 13, 2026

Echocardiographic Evaluation of Atrial Communications before Transcatheter Closure
Published on: February 8, 2022
Transcatheter closure of atypical right-to-left shunts after Fontan surgery
1Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, USA.
Abstract:
Atypical right-to-left shunts following Fontan surgery were closed by transcatheter techniques using various devices in 4 patients. Three had variants of hypoplastic left heart syndrome, while the other had tricuspid atresia. Large Fontan baffle leaks were present in 2, a residual fistula from the inferior vena cava to the coronary sinus was present in 1, and another patient had surgical tube fenestration of an extracardiac conduit. When careful catheter and transesophageal echocardiographic exploration is performed, the selection of appropriate devices makes closure of these defects feasible.

