Atrial Septal Defect Repair

Atrial Septal Defect Repair at Asian Heart Institute, Mumbai, comes with advanced technology such as transcatheter device closure and minimally invasive surgical repair, including robotic-assisted surgery. This helps offer a highly precise way to allow for a quicker return to normal activities.

Every procedure is customized to the needs of the patient and backed by the best heart surgeons, like Dr. Ramakanta Panda (47 years of experience and a milestone of completing 29,000 Cardiac Surgeries, including more than 2,000 redo surgeries and over 6,000 high-risk surgeries), to improve heart function.

What is Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) Repair

It is a procedure to close an atrial septal defect (ASD), which is a hole in the heart between the two upper chambers of the heart.

It is Also Known as:

• ASD Closure
• Transcatheter ASD Closure
• Percutaneous ASD Repair

Are Babies Born With Small Holes?

Yes, every baby is born with a small opening there, which generally closes a few weeks or months after birth. However, sometimes a baby is born with a bigger hole (atrial septal defect) that doesn’t close properly. Atrial septal defect (ASD) repair helps close this hole.

When is it performed?

It is performed when a hole in the heart's upper chambers (atria) is big enough to cause symptoms or risk future heart or lung problems. It is typically recommended between ages 2 and 5, before school.

Types of ASD Repair

The best heart doctor will decide the types of ASD Repair based on ASD's size, location, and type.

There are 2 primary types:

1. Catheter-Based Closure (Percutaneous)

A thin tube (catheter) is guided from a vein in the groin to the heart. It uses the Amplatzer Septal Occluder to close single holes and the Amplatzer Cribriform for more complex defects that have multiple holes (known as multifenestrated ASDs).

It has the following benefits:

• Minimally invasive
• Quick recovery
• Lesser pain
• Minimal scarring

2. Open-Heart Surgery

It involves a chest incision to sew the hole with synthetic material or pericardium.

It has various minimally invasive variants such as:

• Keyhole surgery
• Robot-assisted procedures
• Thoracoscopic approaches via small incisions

ASD Repair Procedure Steps

Here is the general procedure:

A. Catheter-Based Closure (Percutaneous) Procedure

Generally recommended for secundum ASDs

1. Access: (A small incision is made, usually in the groin, to access the femoral vein.)
2. Guidance: (A long, thin catheter is guided through blood vessels to the heart using fluoroscopy or echocardiography.)
3. Device Delivery: (A self-expanding closure device (Amplatzer Septal Occluder or the Amplatzer Cribriform) is passed through the catheter to the ASD.)
4. Deployment: (The device opens and seals the hole; heart tissue slowly grows around it.)
5. Completion: (The catheter is removed, leaving the device permanently in place.)

B. Open-Heart Surgery Procedure

Generally recommended for large ASDs and specific types (primum, sinus venosus)

1. General anesthesia (To ensure comfort and immobility.)
2. Incision (A surgical incision is made in the chest to reach the heart.)
3. Heart–Lung Bypass (Blood circulation is temporarily maintained with the help of heart–lung machine, as the heart is temporarily stopped.)
4. Defect Repair (The atrial septal defect is closed using sutures or a surgical patch. The patch material may include bovine (cow) pericardium or synthetic materials such as Dacron or Gore-Tex.
5. Heart Restart (Normal blood flow is restored.)
6. Closure (The chest incision is closed and the patient is moved to recovery.)

What is the Risks of ASD Repair

The risk is generally low; however, like any other procedure, it can lead to:

• Bleeding
• Infection
• Blood Clots
• Irregular Heartbeats
• Device moves

What Is the Success Rate of ASD Treatment?

It depends on various factors. The procedure usually takes between 1 and 2 hours and the success rate is about 95%. Cumulative survival is good (86% after 50 years).

Who is the Right Candidate?

The selection is based on ASD size (>5-10 mm, generally catheter-eligible), location (secundum is best for devices; primum/sinus venosus needs surgery), and other individual factors.

Who May Not be The Right Candidate?

A patient with the following condition may not be the right candidate:

• Severe, irreversible pulmonary hypertension
• Active Infection.
• Bleeding Disorders.
• Other serious comorbidities.
• Cost of Atrial Septal Defect Repair in Mumbai

The cost depends on complexity of the case, location, type of hospital, advanced procedures, inclusion, surgeon's expertise, device type, etc.

Catheter-Based Closure (Percutaneous): Price may range between ₹1.5 Lakhs and ₹3 Lakhs

Open-Heart Surgery: Price may range between ₹2.5 Lakhs and ₹5 Lakhs.

Why Choose Asian Heart Institute for ASD Treatment

Because of our following qualities:

• Specialized cardiac expertise
• Advanced infrastructure tailored for both catheter-based and surgical repairs.
• Experienced surgeons with fellowships in congenital and neonatal heart surgery handle complex cases.
• Robotic-assisted options.
• 4,25,000+ patients treated.
• 99.83 % success rate.
• Successful 5,000+ complex surgeries.
• 24x7 Emergency, ambulance, and ICU services.
• Comprehensive and holistic postoperative support.