DEVICE CLOSURE
To close a defect or space between the right and left sides of the heart, closure devices are used. In the wall (septum) between the upper chambers (atria) of the heart, some of these birth defects are:
- Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO)
- Atrial Septal Defect (ASD)
Using a special closure device, the percutaneous closure of PFO and ASD is completed. Similar to the catheter used for the catheterization, the appliance is folded or connected to a special catheter. Inserted into a vein in the leg, the catheter is progressed through the heart and into the defect. The device is forced out of the catheter slowly, allowing each side of the device to open and cover (like a sandwich) each side of the opening, sealing the hole or defect.
What if a closure device is not an option?
Patients who are not candidates for closure devices based on a catheter may need surgery to close their septal defect. There are minimally invasive and robotically-assisted methods. In order to ensure that each patient receives the proper treatment to treat their congenital heart disease, congenital heart cardiologists, interventionalists, and surgeons work together.