Morphological variations of secundum-type atrial septal defects: Feasibility for percutaneous closure using amplatzer septal occluders

The aim of the study was to assess the morphology of secundum-type atrial s eptal defects (ASD) with a view to percutaneous closure using Amplatzer sep tal occluders (ASO), One hundred and ninety patients who underwent closure of isolated secundum-type ASD between September 1995 and January 2000 were included. The morphology of the defects was studied using transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography, Patients with defects of suitable morpho logy and size underwent percutaneous closure using ASO, The remaining patie nts underwent surgical closure, Centrally placed defects were observed in 4 6 patients (24,2%), Morphological variations of secundum-type ASD were dete cted in 144 patients (75.8%). One hundred and fifty-one patients (79.5%) un derwent percutaneous closure using ASO. Thirty-nine patients (20.5%) underw ent surgical closure. Centrally placed defects, defects with deficient supe rior anterior rim, multiple defects, and perforated aneurysms of the intera trial septum are morphological variations of secundum-type ASD suitable for percutaneous closure using (C) 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.