title: [Echocardiography in mini-invasive surgical device closure of secundum atrial septal defects].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To discuss the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative application of echocardiography in mini-invasive surgical device closure of secundum atrial septal defects, including those special and difficulty-occluded defects.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed mini-invasive surgical device closure of secundum atrial septal defects on 287 patients. Before the surgery, transthoracic echocardiography was applied for screening; during the surgery we reassessed the sizes of the defects and their remaining margins, designated the suitable occluders, and guided the placement of the occluders by multiplane transesophageal echocardiography. The patients were postoperatively followed up at regular intervals by multiplane transesophageal echocardiography (MTEE) which was employed to assess the therapeutic efficacy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of the 287 atrial septal defects, 276 (96.17%) were successfully closed. There were 37 porous defects and 23 cases with short posterior-inferior margin of defects. Follow-ups at intervals showed the occluders stayed firmly and echoed clearly. No notable residual shunt or valve regurgitation was observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Echocardiography plays a vital and reliable role in mini-invasive surgical device closure of secundum atrial septal defects, especially those special and difficulty-occluded defects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Echocardiography, Central South University, Changsha, China.
authors.forename: Qin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Yifeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Xinhua
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Jinfu
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Lian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.forename: Ni
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Wancun
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Tianli
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006344:Heart Septal Defects, Atrial / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D055989:Septal Occluder Device; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional