Transcatheter closure of Ventricular Septal defects in Malta : initial experience

Abstract

Ventricular septal defects (VSD) consist of deficiencies of the wall separating the two ventricles. VSDs are the commonest congenital cardiac defects. Small VSDs rarely require intervention, however, larger defects cause ventricular volume overload with or without heart failure or pulmonary hypertension and may, therefore, require closure. Traditionally, closure has been an open heart surgical procedure. In recent years, various devices have been developed to close a wide variety of cardiac defects including atrial septal defects and patent arterial ducts through transcatheter interventional techniques. Recently, AGA Medical Corporation have introduced a range of Amplatzer VSD occluders which include specific devices for perimembranous (PM), muscular and post myocardial infarction (MI) VSDs. Atrial septal defect and patent foramen ovale closure has been carried out at St. Luke's Hospital in Malta for the past three years. This year, for the first time, we have closed three VSDs in three individuals; two children with large perimembranous defects and an elderly gentleman with a large post-MI VSD. This paper will discuss this technique and initial results.