Immediate and Short-Term Outcome of Percutaneous Atrial Septal Defects Closure in Adult Patients

Background Atrial septal defect secundum (ASD II) is the commonest of the congenital heart diseases in the adult population and the closure of ASD II causes a significant improvement in hemodynamics and the clinical status of the patient. However, it carries certain risks, especially the development of post-closure pulmonary edema and congestive cardiac failure, which may lead to death. Therefore, this study was designed to share our experience and to evaluate the immediate and short-term outcomes of percutaneous closure of ASD II in adult patients presenting at a tertiary care cardiac center in Karachi, Pakistan. Methodology In this study, we included 30 adult (≥ 40 years) patients who underwent percutaneous ASD II closure at the pediatric cardiology department of the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD), Karachi, Pakistan, between June 1, 2017, and July 31, 2019. Data for this study were extracted from a prospectively collected departmental database. Extracted data for this study consisted of demographic profile, comorbid conditions, echocardiographic findings, cardiac catheterization data, pre and post six-month electrocardiographic findings, and New York Heart Association (NYHA) Functional Classification (FC). Results Out of 30 adult patients, 18 (60%) were female. The mean age of the patients at the time of ASD closure was 51.43 ± 7.09 years, ranging between 40 and 67 years. None of the patients had any post-intervention complications. Mean systolic pulmonary artery pressure (SPAP) on cardiac catheterization pre-implantation was 49.8 ± 16.3 mmHg range was 20-90 mmHg while SPAP immediately after device implantation was 37 ± 11.4 range 20 to 65 mmHg with p<0.001. Mean SPAP on pre-catheterization echocardiography was 58.8 ± 14.3, range 30-95 mmHg, while after six months, the mean SPAP was 34.5 ± 7.2, range 20-45 mmHg, with p<0.001 in 28 (93.3%) patients (in two patients, there was no TR). There was no mortality up till six months after the intervention. The functional class (FC) after six months of the procedure improved in most, 90% (27), of the patients. Conclusion There were no complications immediately after the procedure. After six months, post-procedure SPAP decreased to < 50 mmHg in the majority of patients (96.6%). Functional class (FC) improved in most (90%) of the adult (≥ 40 years) patients undergone percutaneous atrial septal defects closure. Therefore, percutaneous closure of ASD II is a safe and effective procedure for adult patients.