Device used to close an abnormal opening between the left and right chambers of the heart
Congenital heart conditions such as patent foramen ovales or atrial septal defects cause an opening that allows blood to flow between the left and right chambers of the heart. Your doctor may recommend we use an implant closure device to seal the defect to improve blood oxygenation.
Our Adult Congenital Heart Center is one of the few programs in the nation that caters to the complex needs of adults with congenital heart conditions. While some congenital heart defects require open-heart surgery, by working closely with the experts in our Interventional Cardiology Program, we often can use minimally invasive techniques to close these openings.
Procedure
You may be asked to not eat or drink the day of the procedure. Ask your doctor about taking any medications such as blood thinners.
In the catheterization lab, you will lie on a procedure table, and small, flat disks known as electrodes will be used to connect you to an electrocardiogram, which will monitor your heart. We'll give you a sedative to help you relax, and you'll receive a local anesthetic. A thin, flexible tube known as a catheter will be inserted in your arm or leg, your doctor will thread the catheter to the defect through a blood vessel using X-ray images to guide them. A contrast dye may be injected to make the images clearer.
When the catheter is in place, the closure device attached to the end of the catheter will be opened like an umbrella to cover the hole. Heart tissue eventually will grow over the closure device.
The procedure should take 1 to 2 hours. You'll need to spend a few hours in recovery for observation, but you should be able to go home the same day.
Conditions
An atrial septal defect (ASD) is a hole in the wall that separates the top two chambers of the heart (atria), allowing blood to leak between the chambers.
Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome
A rare congenital heart condition that causes the left side of the heart to be underdeveloped.
Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA)
Patent ductus arteriosus is a congenital heart defect that connects the two major heart arteries and allows oxygenated and unoxygenated blood to mix.
Patent foramen ovale is a congenital heart condition in which the naturally occurring opening between the heart’s upper chambers does not close after birth.
Tests
Echocardiogram
An echocardiogram uses high-frequency sound waves to create images of your heart.
Electrocardiogram (ECG)
An electrocardiogram, also known as an ECG, measures the heart’s electrical activity.
Chest X-ray
Chest X-rays use a small dose of radiation to create pictures of the structures inside the chest, including the lungs, heart, and chest wall.
Computerized Tomography (CT) Scan
The cardiac computed tomography scan, or cardiac CT, uses X-rays to create three-dimensional images of your heart and blood vessels.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
Magnetic resonance imaging, better known as cardiac MRI, is a combination of radio waves, magnets, and computer technology to create images of your heart and blood vessels.
Our providers
Location: Change location Enter your location
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Walter Lawrence Atiga, MD
Electrophysiology
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Amanda Z. Beirne, ACNP-BC
Electrophysiology
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Jeffrey Yu-chen Chang, PA
Electrophysiology & Cardiology
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Kathryn Rose Dougherty, PA
Electrophysiology
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Sarfraz A. Durrani, MD
Electrophysiology
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Zayd Eldadah, MD
Electrophysiology
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Jay Aaron Mazel, MD
Electrophysiology
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Glenn Robert Meininger, MD
Electrophysiology
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Susan O'Donoghue, MD
Electrophysiology
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Wale John Ojeyinka, AGACNP-BC
Electrophysiology
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Edward V. Platia, MD
Electrophysiology
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Manish Shah, MD
Electrophysiology
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Sunjeet Singh Sidhu, MD
Internal Medicine & Electrophysiology
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Apostolos Tsimploulis, MD
Electrophysiology
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Cherrie C Webb, CRNP
Electrophysiology
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Megan Joy Zemrose, PA
Electrophysiology
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Our locations
Distance from Change locationEnter your location
MedStar Union Memorial Hospital
201 E. University Pkwy. Baltimore, MD 21218
MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center
9000 Franklin Square Dr. Baltimore, MD 21237
MedStar Washington Hospital Center
110 Irving St. NW Washington, DC 20010
Additional information
Adult congenital heart center
When you’re born with a heart problem, you may need complex care throughout your life. Our experts tailor this specialized care to your unique needs.
Ask MedStar Heart & Vascular Institute
Have general questions for our heart and vascular program? Email us at AskMHVI@medstar.net. If you have clinically-specific questions, please contact your physician’s office.