Muscular VSD Device Complications: Literature Review and Possible Implications for Echocardiographic Follow-Up

Long-term transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) follow-up guidelines after muscular ventricular septal defect (mVSD) device closure are vague. The primary goal of this study was to perform a literature search to characterize the type and timing of complications that occur after mVSD device placement. The search was performed in Medline (PubMed) with English language and publication date (1983 to 2024) filters applied. Studies were included if they reported on patients who underwent mVSD device closure. Studies were excluded if they reported on other types of ventricular septal defect (VSD) device closures, were review papers, or did not report outcomes after the device procedure. A total of 139 articles met the criteria (retrospective, n = 63; prospective, n = 10; case reports, n = 66), encompassing 1668 patient cases. Age at the time of mVSD closure was 10.6 + 2.7 years. Incidence of complications was 17.9% (299/1668). Maximum follow-up was 160 months. Most complications were residual shunts (40.8%, 122/299), followed by valve dysfunction (13.7%, 41/299) and arrhythmias (13.7% 41/299). The vast majority of complications occurred ≤12 months post-device placement 98.0% (293/299). Only 1.3% (4/299) of complications occurred at >12 months (mild tricuspid regurgitation, n = 2; left bundle branch block, n = 1; atrial fibrillation, n = 1). Time until complication was not reported in 0.7% (2/299) of patients (residual shunts, n = 2). All clinically significant complications diagnosed via TTE occurred <12 months post-mVSD device procedure. The utility of repeat TTE beyond one year after mVSD device closure should be reassessed if no clinical concerns are present.