Pediatric cardiologists at the University of Maryland Hospital for Children/University of Maryland Heart Center are now offering a minimally invasive treatment for atrial septal defects (ASD), a congenital heart defect. Until recently, children with atrial septal defects would often require open-heart surgery to repair a hole in their heart.
Now, pediatric cardiologists are avoiding surgery by using a new mesh device, delivered through a catheter, to treat this common congenital heart defect. This state-of-the-art technology closes the hole in the upper chambers of the heart.
What is ASD?
Atrial septal defect, or ASD, is an abnormal hole in the wall of the upper chambers of the heart where the wall between the right and left atria does not close completely. The size of the hole and its exact location vary from patient to patient.
An ASD can increase the amount of blood that flows to the lungs. During childhood, there may be no symptoms, but over time the condition can lead to pulmonary hypertension or congestive heart failure.
An ASD can close by itself, but more often than not needs repairing. It is typically repaired in children between 3 and 5 years of age, but infants and older children may also undergo the treatment when necessary.
How Does The New Device Work?
By using the mesh device called the Amplatzer, pediatric cardiologists are now able to close the hole in a hospital procedure room known as the catheterization laboratory.
The Amplatzer, which was FDA approved earlier this year, is a two-tiered, expanding device that closes the ASD. There are different-sized devices, ranging from 4 millimeters to 3.8 centimeters.
The cardiologist determines what size Amplatzer to use by inflating a balloon within the defect, and measuring the indentation in the balloon created by the defect. The Amplatzer, which is made of wire mesh, is then inserted through a catheter and placed securely in the hole. The clamshell-like device closes the hole and then stays in the heart.
The patient receives general anesthesia, and no large incision is needed. The closure can be performed as a semi-outpatient procedure, and the recovery time is just a few days. This type of treatment is much less traumatic for children because they are able to go home a day after the procedure, and there is no incision or scarring.
But not every hole can be closed this way. Our pediatric cardiologists will conduct a thorough exam to make sure it's the right treatment for your child. This treatment has also been accepted and recommended for a form of ASD -- Patent foramen ovale (PFO) -- that occurs in adults.
Click here for more information on the ASD closure procedure.
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