Atrial Septal Defect (Children)

What is the appropriate treatment for a particular child with an ASD will depend on many factors such as the number, size and location of the ASD(s), any associated cardiac defects and the effects of the ASD on the heart. The suitability of the various treatment options will vary from person and person and should be discussed with your cardiologist. These options would include:

• Continued Outpatient Observation - Small ASD with insignificant haemodynamic effect need not be treated. Many of these small defects, especially those discovered in infancy, close spontaneously with time. However, they should be followed-up by a cardiologist or your family physician.
  
• Surgical closure - This is an open-heart surgery performed under cardiopulmonary bypass. The surgeon can close the ASD directly with sutures or with a patch.
  
• Transcatheter device closure - ASD can now be closed using special devices delivered using cardiac catheters (long, thin tubes). With this technique, the patient need not undergo cardiopulmonary bypass and there is no surgical scar. The most commonly used device here is the Amplatzer Septal Occluder. The ASD must be carefully assessed prior to recommending this option as not all ASDs are suitable for transcatheter device closure.