title: Immediate and late outcomes of patients undergoing transseptal left-sided heart catheterization for symptomatic valvular and arrhythmic diseases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The transseptal technique has been widely used for diagnostic and therapeutic left-sided heart catheterization. However, its differential immediate and late outcomes among patients with various valvular and arrhythmic diseases are not yet determined.
  
  
  METHODS
  Beginning from 1993, all patients undergoing transseptal procedures were screened and categorized into diagnosis, arrhythmia, and valvuloplasty groups according to the purposes of the catheterization. Incidences of transseptum-related acute major events (cardiac perforation, embolic stroke, and bradyarrhythmia during the procedure) and late complications (residual atrial septal defect [ASD], embolic stroke, bradyarrhythmia, and death up to 18 months) were analyzed and compared between groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From January 1993 to May 2003, a total of 176 patients underwent 184 transseptal procedures for diagnosis of valvular heart diseases (n = 8), catheter ablation of arrhythmogenic foci (n = 29), and mitral valvuloplasty (n = 147). The immediate outcome was similar among the 3 groups, with an overall acute complication incidence of 3.8%. At follow-up, the incidences of bradyarrhythmia, embolic stroke, and death were not different among the 3 groups. Patients undergoing valvuloplasty had a significantly higher prevalence of residual ASD, especially for those with more severe mitral stenosis and less valvuloplasty success. However, presence of ASD did not impose disadvantage over the 1.5-year prognosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Transseptal left-sided heart catheterization can be safely applied to patients with different categories of cardiac diseases with comparably good immediate and late outcomes. Although patients undergoing percutaneous valvuloplasty have a higher chance of permanent ASD creation, their prognosis is not influenced.
authors.affiliation: Division of Interventional Cardiology, Cardiovascular Center, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Tsun-Jui
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Hui-Chin
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Wen-Lieng
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Kuo-Yang
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Tsu-Juey
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Jin-Long
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Chung-Whei
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Hsueh
authors.forename: Chih-Tai
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Ting
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome