Iatrogenic atrial septal defect closure after transseptal mitral valve interventions: Indications and outcomes

Review indications and outcomes for transcatheter iatrogenic atrial septal defect (iASD) closure in patients undergoing MitraClip or transseptal (TS) mitral valve-in-valve/ring (ViV/ViR) procedures.

Mitral valve transcatheter interventions require large-diameter TS sheaths that can result in iASDs that necessitate post-procedure transcatheter closure. Although the presence of iASD has been well-described, indications for closure and outcomes after TS mitral valve interventions have not been reported.

Patients undergoing MitraClip repair and ViV or ViR transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) from February 14, 2014, to January 16, 2018, were studied retrospectively in this single center study.

Seventeen patients had iASD closure: 11 MitraClip and 6 TMVR (5 ViV, 1 ViR). Indications for iASD closure included large iASD (n = 7), large left-to-right shunt (n = 9), pulmonary hypertension (n = 8), large right-to-left shunt (n = 1), severe RV dysfunction (n = 2), thin/aneurysmal septum (n = 2), and mobile material on pacemaker leads (n = 2). Closures were performed without complications using Amplatzer septal occluders. At 30 days, 94% of subjects (n = 16) were alive with one patient deceased from unknown causes. There were no myocardial infarctions or strokes. At 12 months, follow-up was available for 14 of 17 patients, and 71% of patients (10/14) were alive. One patient died due to cardiac causes, two from noncardiac causes and one for unknown reasons. There was one myocardial infarction, one intraparenchymal hemorrhage, and no ischemic strokes.

The most common reasons for iASD closure after TS MV procedures are: large ASD unlikely to spontaneously close, large left-to-right shunt, and pulmonary hypertension. Patients who required iASD closure had low 30-day mortality but higher one-year mortality potentially reflecting a population with substantial comorbidities.