Transcatheter closure of secundum atrial septal defect in adults: report of our first experience in a developing country

Abstract

B Adeola Animasahun,1 Yele Aluko,2 Adeyemi Johnson,3 Kofo Ogunyankin,3 Sunita Maheshwari41Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Lagos State University College of Medicine, Lagos, Nigeria; 2Mid Carolina Cardiology, Charlotte, NC, USA; 3First Cardiology Consultants, Lagos, Nigeria; 4Narayana Hrudayalaya Institute of Cardiac Sciences, Bangalore, IndiaBackground: Since the first report on device closure of atrial septal defect (ASD) in 1976, the procedure has gained wide acceptance and has been used worldwide, including parts of Africa. The advantages when compared to surgical closure include a shorter procedure time and hospital stay and no scarring. This mode of treatment was not available in Nigeria prior to the cases reported here, requiring patients to travel abroad for the procedure.Methods: A cardiac catheterization laboratory became available in Lagos, Nigeria in 2009, and in December 2010 the laboratory collaborated with Lagos State University College of Medicine and Lagos State University Teaching Hospital to perform the device closure on two women (aged 34 and 62 years) with secundum ASD. To the best of our knowledge, these are the first times the procedure has been performed in Nigeria.Results: Both patients made successful recovery and are stable.Conclusion: Transcatheter closure of ASD is now safe and available in Nigeria.Keywords: atrial septal defect, transcatheter closure, Nigeria