title: Transcatheter closure of secundum atrial septal defects using Amplatzer device.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the feasibility and short term results of transcatheter closure of secundum atrial septal defects (TCSASDs) using Amplatzer occluder device. A new self-centering device, the Amplatzer atrial septal occluder, has recently been evaluated in an animal model with excellent results. This paper reports our clinical research with this device.
  
  
  METHODS
  30 patients underwent an attempt at TCSASDs at an average age of 35.6 +/- 15.9 y (range, 5-62 y) and average weight of 63.6 +/- 14.5 kg (range, 17-78 kg) using the Amplatzer atrial septal occluder. The average ASD diameter measured by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) was 23.6 +/- 4.0 mm (range, 16-31 mm), and the average atrial septal defects (ASD) balloon stretched diameter was 25.2 +/- 5.8 mm (range, 9-34 mm). All patients had right atrial and ventricular volume overload with a Qp/Qs of 3.4 +/- 1.2 (1.4-5.2). A F8-12 catheter was used for delivery of the device in all patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The device was placed correctly in all patients. There was immediate and complete closure in 30 patients. The average device waist size used to close the defect was 25.6 +/- 5.9 mm (range, 9-34 mm). There was no episode of device embolization or any other complication. Follow-up was performed using transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) 1 day, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and 1 year after the procedure. The first day after operation; there was complete closure of the ASD in all patients; there have been no episodes of endocarditis, thromboembolism, or wire fracture.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TCSASDs using the Amplatzer occluder device was an efficient nonsurgical method which had a very high technical success rate and satisfactory short term and follow-up results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, General Hospital of PLA, 28 Fuxing Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100853, China. gyw@public3.bta.net.cn
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization / Q000379:methods; D004452:Echocardiography; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006344:Heart Septal Defects, Atrial / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation