Perventricular device closure of ventricular septal defects: six months results in 30 young children.
BACKGROUND
Both surgical repair and transcatheter closure of isolated ventricular septal defects are known to have limitations in children. This report describes the short-term results of perventricular device closure of nonmuscular ventricular septal defects without cardiopulmonary bypass in young children.


METHODS
Thirty patients who had nonmuscular ventricular septal defects underwent perventricular closure by minimally invasive technique without cardiopulmonary bypass. A subxiphoid minimally invasive incision was performed. Under the continuous guidance of transesophageal echocardiography, the free wall of the right ventricle was punctured and a guidewire was introduced into the left ventricle through the defect. A delivery sheath was advanced over the wire and through the defect into the left ventricle. The device was released.


RESULTS
Closure was successful in 27 patients (90%). There was no mortality or atrioventricular block perioperatively or during the entire follow-up period. Three patients developed incomplete right bundle branch blocks and seven patients developed new trace or mild tricuspid regurgitation after the closure. The mean hospital stay was 3.6 +/- 0.7 days (range, 3 to 5 days) and no patient needed any blood or blood products. Follow-up at 6 months showed that two of the three patients had persistent incomplete right bundle branch block and three of the seven patients had persistent closure-related trace or mild tricuspid regurgitation.


CONCLUSIONS
Perventricular device closure of isolated ventricular septal defects without cardiopulmonary bypass appeared to be safe and efficacious in selected young children. The outcomes of short-term follow-up are acceptable.
Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
Changping
C
Gan
Qi
Q
An
Ke
K
Lin
Hong
H
Tang
Raphael C
RC
Lui
Kaiyu
K
Tao
Wencheng
W
Pan
Yingkang
Y
Shi
D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D004867:Equipment Design; D004869:Equipment Safety; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006345:Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013908:Thoracotomy / Q000379:methods; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome