Atrial Septal Defect

What Is Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) Closure?

Atrial septal defect (ASD) closure is a type of open-heart surgery that corrects an abnormal opening in the wall or septum of the two upper chambers of the heart or atria.  Such a defect in the septum can cause blood to travel between the two sides of the heart.  Blood from the right side of the heart is venous blood, low in oxygen while that on the left side of the heart is arterial blood with high oxygen content.  In a normal heart there is no mixing of oxygen rich and oxygen deficient blood.  But with this defect, the two types of blood do indeed mix, causing any number of complications.  

Given the gravity of atrial septal defect closure, the patient must be free from all infections and diseases before going into the operating theater.  In addition, any medications or allergies should be shared with the surgeon prior to the procedure. 

During atrial septal defect closure, the surgeon makes an incision along the breastbone called a median sternotomy.  The breast bone is separated exposing the heart.  The patient is placed on a heart-lung bypass machine, which performs the functions of these two organs while the doctors perform an atrial septal defect closure.  A patch made either from a synthetic material or the patient’s own pericardial tissue is used to seal the opening between the two halves of the heart.  The patient is weaned off the bypass machine, the wounds are sutured and drainage tubes are put in place.  The patient is moved to the intensive care unit.