Pg. Bjornstad et al., INTERVENTIONAL CLOSURE OF ATRIAL SEPTAL-DEFECTS WITH THE AMPLATZER(R)DEVICE - FIRST CLINICAL-EXPERIENCE, Cardiology in the young, 7(3), 1997, pp. 277-283
We report our initial experience in three children with percutaneous t
ransvenous closure of significant atrial septal defects. A newly devel
oped one-piece nitinol device is delivered through a long venous sheat
h of 7 French calibre under fluoroscopic and transoesophageal echocard
iographic monitoring. Complete closure of all defects was verified by
echocardiography on the morning after the procedure. No complication o
ccurred. In the first two patients, the device slipped sideways into t
he defect. This was easily discovered and corrected: Our experience sh
ows that the Amplatzer(R) device is reliable, easy to implant, and pre
sents very clearly on transoesophageal echocardiography and fluoroscop
y. This makes implantation a controlled procedure. Until release, the
device can easily be retracted into the sheath at any time and removed
. The results suggest that closure of an atrial septal defect with thi
s device is feasible, rapid, and safe.