[Early results of atrial septal defect closure with the Amplatzer Septal Occluder are impacted by tricuspid insufficiency].

OBJECTIVE

Our study reports the results of a comparison of transcatheter closure of secundum atrial septal defect (ASD) using the Amplatzer Septal Occluder (ASO) in patients with and without tricuspid insufficiency.

METHODS

Consecutive 27 adult patients (20 females, 7 males) with a mean age of 41.1 +/- 13.3 (range 18-62) years having an ASD II and a transcatheter closure between December 2000 and December 2002 were analyzed. All the patients had an isolated secundum ASD with a significant left-to-right shunt (ratio of pulmonary to systemic blood flow or Qp:Qs >1.5:1). Patients were divided in two groups: group I--without tricuspid abnormalities (8 patients, 29.6%), group II--patients with tricuspid insufficiency I-III stage, (19 patients, 70.4%). Transthoracic color Doppler echocardiographic study was performed in all patients before discharge and was repeated one month after discharge.

RESULTS

The mean age, the diameter of defect, the degree of left-to-right shunt, the diameter of implanted device were comparable in both groups. Before implantation the dimension of right heart cavities differed between groups. The right ventricular dimension was larger in group II (mean 36.2 mm vs. 29.1 mm; p<0.009), the right atrium diameter was larger in group II (46.2 mm vs. 24.3 mm; p<0.007). Pulmonary artery systolic pressure before the procedure was higher in group II (36.6 mmHg vs. 20.43 mmHg; p<0.006). The ASO device was successfully implanted in all the patients. At one month follow-up septal motion abnormalities normalized in all patients in both groups. The mean decrease of right atrium diameter in group I was 6.2 mm (range 1.5-12 mm) compared to 9.6 mm (range 2-20) in group II, (p<0.001), the mean decrease of right ventricular diameter in group I was 5.8 mm (range 2-8 mm) compared to 3.1 mm (range 1-5.9) in group II, (p<0.006).

CONCLUSIONS

Short-term follow-up demonstrated excellent results of ASD closure in both groups. In one month follow-up the decrease of right cavities dimensions was significantly higher in the patients without tricuspid abnormalities. The pulmonary artery systolic pressure before ASD closure was significantly higher in the patients with tricuspid abnormality.