title: Intra-operative device closure of perimembranous ventricular septal defect without cardiopulmonary bypass under guidance of trans-epicardial echocardiography: a single center experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Intraoperative device closure of perimembranous ventricular septal defect(VSD) through a lower mini-sternotomy is safe, less invasive, and has excellent surgical and cosmetic outcomes. Our study is to evaluate the feasibility of closing VSD under guidance of trans-epicardial echocardiography.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed the clinical course of 41 patients referred to our institution for minimally invasive closure of perimembranous VSD. The trans-epicardial echocardiography(TEE) was used to monitor the whole procedure to guide the positioning of device and evaluate the operative effect instantly after operation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The procedure was successfully done in 38 patients(92.6 %) with mean age of 1.2 ± 1.5 years(range 0.5-6.1 years),mean weight of 10.78 ± 6.87 kg(range 5.2 ~ 26 kg) and VSD size of 5.1 ± 1.13 mm(range 5 ~ 10 mm). Three cases failed, including two cases whose guide-wires could not pass through VSDs and one case whose occluder could not repair VSD well. Three patients had tiny residual shunts because of the shifting of occluders. There were no major complications such as arrhythmia, valve regurgitation and the failure of occluder during follow-up(Mean 2.3 ± 1.2 years). TEE provided superior imaging of shapes and surrounding structures of the VSDs, and guide-wires passing through VSDs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intraoperative device closure of perimembranous VSD through a lower mini-sternotomy without cardiopulmonary bypass appears to be a safe and effective procedure. The use of trans-epicardial echocardiography provides useful information for intraoperative device closure of VSD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, NanFang Hospital, Southern Medical University, GuangZhou, GuangDong, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, NanFang Hospital, Southern Medical University, GuangZhou, GuangDong, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, NanFang Hospital, Southern Medical University, GuangZhou, GuangDong, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Pengyu
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, NanFang Hospital, Southern Medical University, GuangZhou, GuangDong, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yilong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, NanFang Hospital, Southern Medical University, GuangZhou, GuangDong, People's Republic of China. shaoyizheng@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Shao-Yi
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Zheng
mesh_terms: D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D002315:Cardiopulmonary Bypass / Q000379:methods; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006345:Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D016343:Monitoring, Intraoperative; D055989:Septal Occluder Device; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Echocardiography; Heart catheterization; Minimally invasive; Ventricular septal defects