Atrial Septal Defect Closure

An atrial septal defect occurs when the natural wall between two heart chambers doesn’t fully develop. When this problem causes symptoms, you need to see the exceptional team at Florida Heart, Vein and Vascular Institute. After performing heart diagnostics like an echocardiogram, they determine the severity of the defect and, if needed, perform an atrial septal defect closure. Call the office in Zephyrhills, Lakeland, Wesley Chapel, Plant City, or Riverview, Florida, or connect online today to schedule a heart evaluation.

When would I need an atrial septal defect closure?

An atrial septal defect is a heart condition that occurs before birth when the wall between the heart’s two upper chambers (right and left atria) doesn’t develop properly. If the defect remains after birth, it’s called an atrial septal defect.

In a healthy heart, blood never passes between the upper chambers. The lack of a wall lets blood move freely between the right and left atria, and that can lead to health complications.

The only way to repair the problem and restore healthy circulation is with an atrial septal defect closure.

What complications arise without getting an atrial septal defect closure?

Without the atrial wall, blood usually starts flowing from the left atria to the right. As a result, the right side enlarges, and that increases pressure in the lungs.

The increasing lung pressure changes the flow between the upper chambers, and blood starts moving from the right side to the left. This shift lets blood bypass the lungs, sending oxygen-poor blood instead of oxygen-rich blood to your body.

What symptoms signal an atrial septal defect?

Your baby may not have symptoms if the hole is tiny and doesn’t cause problems. If that happens, they can grow into adulthood before symptoms appear.

At any age, an atrial septal defect may cause:

• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue
• Swelling of feet, legs, or abdomen
• Irregular heartbeats (heart arrhythmias)
• Rapid, pounding heartbeat
• Skipped heartbeats

During a routine physical exam, your physician may hear an unusual whooshing sound when listening to your heart.

What happens during an atrial septal defect closure?

An atrial septal defect closure is an interventional procedure performed using a catheter (long, slim tube). Your Florida Heart, Vein and Vascular Institute provider creates a small puncture over a vein in your groin and inserts a catheter.

Using real-time X-rays or an echocardiogram to see the catheter, your provider threads it through your blood vessels to the heart and places it where the wall should be. For the final step, they close the opening by sending a device through the catheter and securing it between the two chambers.

Your heart tissues gradually grow around the closure device, turning it into a permanent part of your heart.

Call Florida Heart, Vein and Vascular Institute or book an appointment online today if you have symptoms, need diagnostic testing, or want to learn more about an atrial septal defect closure.