title: [Atrial septal defects in adults: usefulness of surgical closure].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The atrial septal defect (ASD) is one of the most common congenital heart diseases in adults.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of our study is to determine the value of the surgical closure of ASD in adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between January 1990 and December 2006, 87 adult patients underwent surgical closure of ASD. The mean age is 28 years; eighty one patients (93%) were in NYHA class I or II.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients were operated on with extra corporeal circulation. There were 10% post operative complications, no early or late death.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  surgical closure of ASD in adults given good results and in spite of percutaneous procedures progress surgery keeps some specific indications
authors.affiliation: Service de chirurgie cardiovasculaire, Hôpital La Rabta, Tunis.
authors.forename: M Mounir
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Dhiab
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shili
authors.forename: Walid
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ben Ali
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chihaoui
authors.forename: Taoufik
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kalfat
authors.forename: Adel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khayati
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005112:Extracorporeal Circulation; D005260:Female; D006344:Heart Septal Defects, Atrial / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult