title: Usefulness of atrial septostomy as a treatment for primary pulmonary hypertension and guidelines for its application.
abstract: We review our experience and that for 2 large series of atrial septostomy as a treatment for advanced pulmonary hypertension to better understand the hemodynamic changes that result. Atrial septostomy may be a useful procedure in patients with severe refractory pulmonary hypertension, but should not be used in patients who are critically ill.
authors.affiliation: Section of Cardiology, Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, and the University of Illinois at Chicago, 60612-3824, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rich
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dodin
authors.forename: V V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: McLaughlin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization / Q000379:methods*; D002404:Catheterization / Q000379:methods* / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D006346:Heart Septum / Q000601:surgery*; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018579:Patient Selection; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate