Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 23, 2026

Echocardiographic Evaluation of Atrial Communications before Transcatheter Closure
Published on: February 8, 2022
Very long-term outcomes of transcatheter secundum atrial septal defect closure using intracardiac echocardiography
G Rigatelli1, N T Nghia2, M Zuin3
1Section of Adult Congenital and Adult Heart Disease, Cardiovascular Diagnosis and Endoluminal Interventions, Rovigo General Hospital, Rovigo, Italy.
Aim:
To assess the long-term outcomes of device-based closure of atrial septal defects (ASDs) with no sizing balloon.
Material And Methods:
Two hundred and eighty-one consecutive patients (mean age 34±13 years, 178 women) underwent intracardiac echocardiography (ICE)-aided transcatheter closure of secundum ASDs over a 15-year period (September 2002 to March 2017). Sizing of the ASDs was calculated under ICE guidance (UltraICE, EP Technologies, Boston Scientific Corporation, San Jose, CA, USA) using the concept of "supportive rim" for ASDs without the aid of a sizing balloon. Follow-up was conducted by transoesophageal and transthoracic echocardiography.
Results:
The procedure was carried out successfully in all patients with 0% related mortality and 5.7% procedural complications. The Amplatzer ASD Occluder was implanted in 251 patients (89.3%, mean size 26.4±10.2 mm) whereas the Gore Cardioform was used in 30 patients (10.6%). Over 10.3±3 years of follow-up (range 1-15) 100% of patients were alive. The complete occlusion rate was 97.8%. No aortic or atrial free wall erosions, device thrombosis, or device frame fractures were detected during the follow-up period.
Conclusion:
The present study suggested that ICE-guided closure of ASDs with current devices without sizing balloons is safe and effective with very low procedural and late complications even in the very long-term follow-up.
More Related Videos
08:00Reduction of Iatrogenic Atrial Septal Defects with an Anterior and Inferior Transseptal Puncture Site when Operating the Cryoballoon Ablation Catheter
Published on: June 15, 2015
04:29Author Spotlight: Advancements in Intracardiac Echocardiography for Atrial Anatomy Assessment
Published on: June 30, 2023
Related Concept Videos
Predicting Reaction Outcomes
Outcomes of Glycolysis
Cellular respiration can occur aerobically (with oxygen) or anaerobically (without oxygen). In the presence of oxygen, cellular respiration starts with glycolysis and continues with pyruvate...
Long-term Depression
Lumber Defects
Shakes are minor fractures that run along or across the wood's annual rings, while wane is...
Angle Closure Glaucoma: Treatment
Genome Size and the Evolution of New Genes