Transcatheter closure of secundum atrial septal defect

Since the introduction of transcatheter closure of atrial septal defect, device closure has become the alternative treatment of selected atrial defects. Although excellent results have been reported for transcatheter closure, concerns have arisen regarding complications, including residual shunt, systemic or pulmonary embolization of the device, and erosion and perforation of the cardiac chamber. Those complications are rare but potentially serious adverse events that may require immediate surgical intervention. This review summarizes the current trends in patient selection, result of device closure and typical complications. Comparison between transcatheter device closure and surgical closure is also made. © 2013 The Japanese Association for Thoracic Surgery.