An atrial septal defect is a heart defect in which the dividing wall between the upper chambers of the heart is defective, allowing blood to flow and mix freely between the two chambers. What makes this particularly dangerous is that the blood on the left side of the heart is oxygen-rich while the blood on the right side is oxygen-poor, meaning that the blood that is being pumped back out to the vital organs of the body is then lacking in oxygen as well.

Not all atrial septal defects will require correction, as many of them are too small to ever even become noticed by the person who has them. For some patients drug therapy is enough to keep any problems from ever arising, and usually includes a regimen of anticoagulants and antiplatelet agents. An atrial septal defect can, however, pose serious risks for a person who has one over time, and typically the larger the defect, the larger the potential for complications.

A person may consider treatment for their atrial septal defect if it is interfering in their everyday life – for instance, research links such a defect to a person having frequent migraines, palpitations, difficulty in breathing and fatigue with exercise, stroke and mini strokes (TIAs) and also makes scuba diving difficult as it makes decompression sickness extremely dangerous due to the risk of stroke.

There are generally two types of closure methods performed to correct an atrial septal defect – surgical closure and percutaneous closure.

• Surgical closure of an atrial septal defect is effective especially for larger defects. The drawback is that it is an invasive procedure, will leave scarring, and typically requires an overnight stay for the patient to recover.
• Percutaneous closure of an atrial septal defect is a minimally invasive procedure that has proven to be highly effective and which leaves little to no visible scarring. In this procedure, a catheter is guided through the femoral vein in the leg and into the heart. Through this catheter, discs are placed on the wall between the left and right upper chambers of the heart, essentially blocking them off to each other and keeping the blood within each separate. While this method is the ideal, it is not always practical or possible for all defects and does require continued drug therapy.

To discuss treatment options for an atrial septal defect with a leading cardiologist in Tampa, or for more information regarding other types of heart disease and their treatments, contact the physicians at Tampa Cardiovascular Associates by calling (813) 975-2800 today.