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Updated: Jul 16, 2025
Echocardiographic Evaluation of Atrial Communications before Transcatheter Closure
Published on: February 8, 2022
Long-term follow-up of percutaneous secundum-type atrial septal defect closure using Amplatzer Septal Occluder since
Peter Olejnik1,2, Peter Tittel1, Zuzana Venczelova1
1National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Pediatric Cardiac Center, Bratislava, Slovakia.
Introduction:
The goal of this single-centre study was to evaluate long-term results of percutaneous closure of secundum-type atrial septal defect using Amplatzer Septal Occluder with the follow-up to 25 years.
Methods:
A retrospective analysis of patients who underwent percutaneous closure of secundum-type atrial septal defect between September 1995 and October 2012 in our institution was performed. All procedures were performed after fulfilling strict indication criteria. More than 5 years follow-up was reached in 651/803 patients (81%) with median follow-up time of 12 (5-25) years.
Results:
The mean stretched defect diameter was 14,0 ± 5,2 mm. Early reintervention due to moderate or severe residual atrial septal defect had to be performed in 3/803 patients (0,03%). The incidence of long-term moderate or severe residual atrial septal defect was 0,0%. The complete closure rate at 10-year follow-up was 98,5%, as trivial residual shunts persisted in 8/508 patients (1,5%). A significant rate of the echocardiographic right ventricular end-diastolic diameter post-procedural normalisation (p < 0,05) was encountered. The rate of major complications was 0,5%. One device embolisation, one thrombus formation at the occluder surface, and one cardiac erosion in periprocedural or short post-procedural course were experienced. Only one late complication of infective endocarditis at the region of implanted occluder and the aortic valve was detected. The survival rate of all followed patients was 100%.
Conclusions:
Percutaneous closure of secundum-type atrial septal defect using Amplatzer Septal Occluder is a safe and effective procedure accounting for a very low incidence of major complications in the long-term follow-up.
