Repair of atrial septal defects on the perfused beating heart

We present our experience in repairing all varieties of atrial septal defects with the aid of continuous antegrade perfusion of an empty beating heart with normothermic blood.From September 1999 through December 2008, 266 patients (140 females and 126 males; ages 3-53 yr) underwent atrial septal defect closure by this method. Of these patients, 236 had ostium secundum, 21 had sinus venosus, and 9 had ostium primum defects. Three patients also had rheumatic mitral incompetence requiring mitral valve implantation, and 2 also had mitral stenosis requiring valvuloplasty. Preoperative diagnoses were established by 2-dimensional echocardiography and color-flow Doppler study. The size of atrial septal defects ranged from 2 cm through 4.5 cm. Direct repair was performed in 52 patients, and the rest received an autologous pericardial patch. Normothermic perfusion at 4 to 5 mL/(kg.min) kept the heart beating throughout the procedure. All patients survived the procedure with no complication. Twelve patients with ostium secundum atrial septal defect were extubated on the table and discharged within 24 hours of hospitalization. They are categorized as ambulatory cases. All patients remained in sinus rhythm. One patient with a residual shunt required revision of a patch; postoperative echocardiography showed normal left ventricular function and no residual shunt. Total intensive care unit stay was less than 24 hours for all patients.The primary aim of the beating-heart technique is to avoid ischemic-reperfusion injury. It is a safe and effective technique for the closure of all varieties of atrial septal defect.