Transcatheter closure of atrial septal defects in the oval fossa]

We report five years' experience with transcatheter closure of defects in the oval fossa at Rikshospitalet University Hospital in Oslo, Norway.We reviewed the results in 69 patients between 1.3 and 74 years of age (median 5.3), weighing median 20 kg (7.8-109), with pulmonary blood flow 2.40.74 (1.3-4.8) times systemic flow, and median diameter of the defect 18 mm (9-34). The patients were followed clinically for one year.In 69/77 (90%) the defect could be closed. None had a significant residual shunt. One patient showed a very small residual leak after one year. Two children, not yet seen after one year, had a small shunt after one month. The complication rate has been low, and we have not been able to demonstrate any sequelae. The hospital stay is two nights without any convalescence period. The results compare favourably to surgery.The method was efficient and safe in all age and weight groups. The very limited total volume of such procedures indicates they should be centralised and only carried out by a small number of physicians.