Transesophageal echocardiographic monitoring for transcatheter closure of atrial septal defect.
OBJECTIVE
Transcatheter closure of atrial septal defect (ASD) is generally performed under fluoroscopy alone. Recently, we have used transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) monitoring as an aid in performing this procedure. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and complications associated with this use of TEE.


METHODS
Transcatheter closure of ASD was accomplished under TEE guidance simultaneously with fluoroscopic imaging in 11 patients aged 3 to 33 years (weight, 15.4-62.9 kg). TEE was successfully performed in all patients after endotracheal general anesthesia. The ASDs were reexamined before catheterization. The appropriate placement of the occluder device was evaluated.


RESULTS
Seven cases were uneventful with successful ASD occluder implantation, but one failed because of a large ASD (24.7 mm). In three cases, transcatheter closure was aborted after TEE examination, one with a large ASD (27.05 mm), one with an ASD that was too small, and one with multiple fenestrated ASDs.


CONCLUSIONS
Routine TEE monitoring for transcatheter closure of ASDs is effective for evaluation of ASD before implantation of an occluder, to ensure the proper seating of the occluder after the defect occlusion is complete.
Tseng
H C
HC
Department of Anesthesiology, National Taiwan University, College of Medicine and Hospital, Taipei.
Hsiao
P N
PN
Lin
Y H
YH
Wang
J K
JK
Tsai
S K
SK
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D006344:Heart Septal Defects, Atrial / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans