Minimally invasive and endovascular closure of atrial septal defect in children of different ages

Highlights. The article presents the outcomes of endovascular and minimally invasive atrial septal defect closure in children under the age of 3 and aged 3 to 18 years with subsequent assessment of heart remodeling.

Aim. To compare the outcome and features of cardiac remodeling (CR) in children under and over 3 years of age after minimally invasive (MI) and endovascular closure of atrial septal defect (ASD).

Methods. The retrospective single-center study included 100 children with secondary ASD who underwent endovascular and MI ASD closure. The patients were divided into 2 groups. The first group (n = 42) included children under the age of 3 years after MI and EC, the median age was 2 years [1.5; 3], and the second group (n = 58) included children aged 4-18 years after MI and EC, the median age was 7 years [6; 12], respectively, p = 0.001. According to the design of the study, the groups statistically differed in height and body weight (p = 0.001). According to the ASD diameter, there were no differences between the groups (p<0.05) in the number of patients with perforated atrial septal aneurysms and aortic rim deficiency. During inpatient care and 3–4 months after surgery, the outcome and indices of CR obtained by echo imaging were assessed.

Results. Surgical outcomes and medium-term follow-up analysis revealed that all children in both groups successfully underwent ASD closure in the absence of residual shunts. There were no hospital-acquired and medium-term complications. The length of hospital stay of children under 3 years was 7.5 days. [3; 9], which was significantly longer in comparison with the children of the older age group (3 days. [3;7]), (p = 0,001). ICU length of stay in the younger group of children was 24 hours [0; 24], while in the older group it was 0 days. [0; 24], p = 0,001. In the postoperative period, hemoglobin levels significantly decreased in children under 3 years of age (from 124.5 [119; 130] g/L, to 105 [97; 122] g/L, (p = 0.001)), while in the older age group this indicator remained the same. The analysis of features of CR during 3-4-month follow-up in both groups revealed that the initial changes indicating pathological CR were more pronounced in children older than 3 years. Significant dynamics of echocardiographic indices were observed in both groups during follow-up period, it manifested in the form of an increased volume and size of the left heart, and decreased volume and size of the right heart.

Conclusion. Endovascular  and  minimally  invasive ASD  closure  is  an  effective and  safe technique of ASD closure in children of various ages. In children over 3 years of age, pathological CR is initially more pronounced than in children under 3 years of age, indicating the expediency of an early ASD closure. At the same time, younger children  more  often  require  mechanical  ventilation,  cardiopulmonary  bypass, and a longer hospital stay and ICU stay. Higher number of EC performed in the group of young children could offset these negative consequences. Changes in CR indices after ASD closure in groups of children of different ages demonstrates comparable positive trends.

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