Transcatheter closure of atrial septal defect with a cardioSEAL device

Transcatheter closure of an interatrial septal defect (ASD) with a CardioSE AL device was successfully performed on 12 Taiwanese children. There were f ive boys and seven girls, aged from 3.6-13.9 (8.3 +/- 3.2) years and with b ody weight of 15-57 (33.7 +/- 14.7) kgs. After one year of follow-up studie s, which included physical examination, EGG, chest X-ray and echocardiograp hy, complete closure of ASD was achieved in nine (75%) patients. Two childr en with a trivial residual shunt were asymptomatic and without audible card iac murmur. A girl had a small residual left to right atrial shunt by color Doppler echocardiography, but without audible cardiac murmur. There were n o immediate or intermediate complications. Transcatheter implantation of th e CardioSEAL device is a safe and proper treatment for children with non-co mplicated small to medium secundum ASD.