Atrial septal defect (ASD)
An ASD near the large veins (sinus venosus defect) or on the heart valves (ASD I) is closed with a patch made from the patient's own pericardium during heart surgery or with a Dacron or Goretex patch made of synthetic material. Smaller defects are closed directly with a Prolene® suture.
This procedure is usually performed at pre-school age. The procedure can be performed via various approaches: Total or partial sternotomy, subxiphoid or a small right-sided, postero-lateral thoracotomy (minimally invasive procedure). The procedure is always performed on the heart-lung machine.