Off-pump atrial septostomy with thoracoscopic scissors under transesophageal echocardiography guidance

Abstract

Selected children with congenital heart defects undergoing palliative closed heart procedures require a cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) run only for the purpose of creating an inter-atrial communication. We report a simple technique of atrial septostomy using thoracoscopy scissors under transesophageal echocardiography guidance without the need for CPB.

Keywords

• Atrial septostomy
• off-pump technique
• pulmonary artery band
• single ventricle