title: Aorta-to-left atrial fistula developing after surgical removal of an atrial septal occlusion device eight years after original implantation.
abstract: Cardiac erosions may occur in a small percentage of patients after device closure of atrial septal defects. These devices have to be explanted. We report an aorta-to-left atrial fistula after surgical explantation of the device eight years after implant for access to mitral valve repair. The importance of realizing the risk of subclinical cardiac erosion and subsequent fistula development after device removal is discussed.
authors: Aga Khan University Medical College, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors: Kisha
authors: K
authors: Beg
authors: Department of Cardiology, Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital, Hollywood, FL, USA.
authors: Larry A
authors: LA
authors: Latson
authors: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
authors: Gosta
authors: G
authors: Pettersson
authors: Department of Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
authors: Lee
authors: L
authors: Wallace
authors: Department of Cardiology, Texas Children's Hospital/Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA axquresh@texaschildrens.org.
authors: Athar M
authors: AM
authors: Qureshi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic; D021721:Balloon Occlusion / Q000295:instrumentation; D020878:Device Removal; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria; D006344:Heart Septal Defects, Atrial / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016157:Vascular Fistula / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*
keywords: cardiac catheterization/intervention; complications; congenital heart disease; device