Interventional Therapy (sequel to side 1)

Percutaneous Atrial Septal Device Closure

A major advantage of this approach is that the patient does not need to swallow a TEE-probe, which is very unpleasant in longer examinations. For TEE guidance, most patients require general anesthesia. In contrast, intracardiac echocardiography does not require any type of sedation or anesthesia. For this method, a very thin ultrasound catheter is introduced into the left femoral vein and advanced to the right atrium. Echocardiographic monitoring is performed with the ultrasound transducer aimed towards the interatrial septum. This method is not only comfortable for patients but improves safety of the procedure and helps lower radiation exposure. Thus, intracardiac echocardiography is superior to TEE and as a result, several steps of the closure procedure can be mainly guided by echocardiography, reducing fluoroscopy time.

Flash-Video

Guidance of ASD device closure by intracardiac echocardiography. Ao, aorta; ASD, atrial septal defect; LA, left atrium; RA, right atrium; 1c, long access sheath; 2c, end of access sheath in the left atrium; 3c, guidewire; 1d und 2d, delivery cable with the left-sided countercluder opened; 1e und 2e, implanted device still connected to the delivery cable; 1f und 2f, device in its final position.