Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) Treatment in Eau Claire

An atrial septal defect (ASD) is a heart condition that a person is born with where there is a hole between the upper chambers of the heart. This hole leads to an increased amount of blood flowing through the lungs.

Small atrial septal defects might be discovered incidentally and may not pose any issues. Some may close on their own during infancy or early childhood.

Larger, long-term atrial septal defects can cause damage to the heart and lungs, and surgery may be required to repair the defect and prevent complications.

Diagnosis

If you or your child has an atrial septal defect (ASD), it might be detected before or shortly after birth. Smaller ASDs can sometimes go unnoticed until later in life.

During a check-up, your healthcare provider may listen to your heart with a stethoscope and hear a whooshing sound, known as a heart murmur, indicating the presence of an ASD.

Treatment

Treatment for atrial septal defect (ASD) depends on:

• The size of the hole in the heart.
• Whether there are other heart problems present at birth.

An atrial septal defect may close naturally during childhood. For small holes that do not close, regular health checkups may suffice.

Some atrial septal defects require a procedure to close the hole. However, closure of an ASD is not recommended for individuals with severe pulmonary hypertension.

Medications

Medicines won't repair an atrial septal defect (ASD). But they can help reduce symptoms. Medicines for atrial septal defect might include:

• Beta blockers to control the heartbeat.
• Blood thinners, called anticoagulants, to lower the risk of blood clots.
• Diuretics to reduce fluid buildup in the lungs and other parts of the body.

Surgery or other procedures

A procedure is often recommended to repair a medium to large atrial septal defect (ASD) to prevent future complications.

The repair of an atrial septal defect involves closing the hole in the heart and can be accomplished through the following ways:

Catheter-based repair: This method is used for secundum type atrial septal defects. A catheter, which is a thin, flexible tube, is inserted into a blood vessel, usually in the groin, and guided to the heart. A mesh patch or plug is then delivered through the catheter to close the hole. Heart tissue gradually grows around the patch, providing a permanent closure. However, some large secundum atrial septal defects may require open-heart surgery.

Open-heart surgery: This approach involves making an incision through the chest wall to access the heart. Surgeons use patches to close the hole. Open-heart surgery is the only method to repair primum, sinus venosus, and coronary sinus atrial defects.

In certain cases, atrial septal defect repair can be performed using smaller incisions than those required in traditional surgery. This technique is known as minimally invasive surgery. Additionally, if the repair is conducted with the assistance of a robot, it is referred to as robot-assisted heart surgery.