Objective: This study reports the procedural, short and medium term outcomes in patients receiving multiple implants for device closure of secundum atrial septal defects (ASD).
Design and setting: From the database of the Toronto Congenital Cardiac Centre, 36 consecutive patients (mean age 46+/-15 years; 23 females) received >1 implant for closure of an interatrial communication. Short term (mean 97+/-77 days) and medium term (mean 2.5+/-1.4 years) follow-up data were analyzed. Procedures were performed under intracardiac echo (ICE) and fluoroscopic guidance.
Results: The Amplatzer Septal Occluder (ASO) was implanted in all except one. Thirty-one patients had 2, and 4 patients, 3 ASO devices. There were no major adverse events at implantation or on follow-up. Patients with >NYHA class I symptoms fell from 44% to 6% (p<0.05) at 3 months. Right ventricular (RV) systolic pressure fell from 39+/-7 to 32+/-4 mm Hg in the short term (p<0.05), and to 30+/-4 mm Hg in the medium term (p<0.05, compared to baseline) and RV diameters fell from 48+/-5 to 40+/-5 (p<0.05) in the short term and to 38+/-8 mm (p=ns) in the medium term. Small residual leaks were present in 22% at 3 months and 12% (p<0.05) at 1 year.
Conclusion: Multiple ASD device implants can be safely employed with excellent outcomes. Significant reductions in RV pressure and diameter occur in the short term with a continued trend to benefit.