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Echocardiographic Evaluation of Atrial Communications before Transcatheter Closure
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Echocardiographic Evaluation of Atrial Communications before Transcatheter Closure

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Atrial septal defects

Tal Geva1, Jose D Martins2, Rachel M Wald3

  • 1Department of Cardiology, Boston Children's Hospital, and Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.

Lancet (London, England)
|April 15, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Atrial septal defects, a common congenital heart issue, often cause no symptoms in children but can lead to serious complications in adults. Early closure, surgical or transcatheter, ensures a normal life expectancy.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Congenital Heart Disease

Background:

  • Atrial septal defects (ASDs) are the third most prevalent congenital heart malformation.
  • These defects involve abnormal openings between the atria, causing blood shunting between systemic and pulmonary circulations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the causes, anatomy, pathophysiology, treatment, and outcomes of atrial septal defects.
  • To highlight the importance of timely intervention for improved life expectancy.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on atrial septal defects.
  • Analysis of treatment outcomes for both surgical and transcatheter closure methods.

Main Results:

  • Most children with isolated ASDs are asymptomatic, but risks of exercise intolerance, arrhythmias, and pulmonary hypertension increase with age.
  • Untreated defects, especially in females and older adults, elevate the risk of potentially lethal pulmonary vascular disease.
  • Surgical closure before age 25 is linked to normal life expectancy; transcatheter closure is a less invasive option for select patients.

Conclusions:

  • Early diagnosis and treatment of atrial septal defects are crucial for preventing long-term complications and ensuring normal life expectancy.
  • Both surgical and transcatheter closure methods are effective, with transcatheter closure offering a minimally invasive alternative.

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