Spontaneous physiologic closure of an atrial septal defect after infancy∗

doi:10.1016/0002-9149(67)90549-8

The American Journal of Cardiology

Volume 19, Issue 2, February 1967, Pages 290-292

https://doi.org/10.1016/0002-9149(67)90549-8 Get rights and content

Abstract

The rare occurrence of spontaneous physiologic closure of an atrial septal defect in an older child was reported. Associated lesions were mild pulmonary valve stenosis and a right aortic arch. Closure of the defect was documented by two right heart catheterizations and selective angiocardiography in the left atrium. The exact incidence, as well as mechanism of closure, is unknown.

References (4)

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The natural history of ventricular septal defects in infancy
Am. J. Cordiol.
(1965)
J.I.E. Hoffmann et al.
Hemodynamics, clinical features, and course of atrial shunts in infancy (Abstr.)
Circulation
(1965)

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Outcome of children with atrial septal defect considered too small for surgical closure
1999, American Journal of Cardiology
There are few studies providing information on the natural course of hemodynamically insignificant atrial septal defect (ASD). To review the outcome of patients with secundum ASD, we retrospectively reviewed the charts of patients who had initially not been considered for surgical closure after age 1 year, and who had either a follow-up of at least 10 years or documented closure. Thirty patients, 22 females and 8 males, fulfilled our inclusion criteria. Mean age at diagnosis was 1.3 year and mean follow-up duration was 11.5 years. Seventeen patients had spontaneous closure of the ASD at a mean age of 8.4 years. There were 7 asymptomatic patients whose ASD was still patent at the last visit (mean age 14.1 years, mean follow-up 13.2), with defect dimensions on echocardiography ranging from 1 to 6 mm. The remaining 6 patients were considered to require surgical closure on the basis of an apparent increase in size of the ASD and secondary clinical and hemodynamic manifestations. These results (1) confirm that not all secundum ASDs need to be treated surgically because they can still spontaneously close past the age of 5, and (2) suggest that in a minority of cases the size of the defect could increase.
Spontaneous closure of isolated secundum atrial septal defects in infants: An echocardiographic study
1985, American Heart Journal
The incidence and timing of spontaneous closure of isolated secundum atrial septal defects are unknown. Twenty-nine consecutive infants under 12 months of age with clinical evidence of significant left-to-right shunting through atrial septal defects were evaluated by M-mode and two-dimensional echocardiography (2DE). All had right ventricular hypertrophy by ECG. Right ventricular, right atrial, and left atrial areas were measured and right ventricular and left atrial dimensions were obtained in all patients. Spontaneous closure of the defect in four infants was suggested by normalization of clinical examination and ECG and was documented by 2DE and M-mode echocardiography at 15 to 31 months of age. All of the remaining patients, who had suitable 2DE echocardiograms and who did not spontaneously close their defects, had enlarged right ventricular and right atrial areas. Left atrial areas were normal in the four who closed spontaneously and were large in all but three who did not close. The mean diameter of the defect was similar for all patients. The 14% incidence reported here may underestimate the true incidence of spontaneous closure, since seven patients had surgical closure, all prior to 30 months of age, the oldest age at which spontaneous closure was documented. An atrial septal flap, found in all four patients who closed spontaneously but only in 4 of the 16 patients who did not close spontaneously, may contribute in some way to spontaneous closure. Since spontaneous closure may occur up to 30 months, it seems clear that surgical closure should not be performed before that age unless medical management has failed to control symptoms.
Spontaneous closure of secundum atrial septal defect in infants and young children
1983, The American Journal of Cardiology
The records of 264 pediatric patients with uncomplicated ostium secundum atrial septal defect (ASD) were reviewed. Eighty-seven patients were younger than age 4 years at the time of cardiac catheterization. Subnormal weight gain, frequent pneumonia, cyanosis or tachypnea were present in 26 patients (30%). Of the 36 infants at catheterization, 17 (48%) had the previously described symptoms, including 12 (33%) who had congestive heart failure. Eight of the 36 infants were found to have closed their defect at a subsequent catheterization. Six of 18 patients who underwent cardiac catheterization between 1 and 2 years of age also had spontaneously closed their ASD at subsequent study. Statistical analysis of hemodynamic data revealed no difference (except a smaller shunt size) between ASDs that closed and those that did not in patients who were <4 years at initial catheterization. Analysis of hemodynamic data revealed no statistical differences between groups of patients with an ASD who were younger than and those older than 4 years at time of diagnostic study. Patients with ASDs that closed were significantly different from patients with atrial level shunting thought to be secondary to a valve-incompetent foramen ovale with respect to age at initial study (11 versus 2 months, p <0.001), mean left atrial pressure (7.7 versus 12.3 mm Hg, p <0.02) and difference between mean right and left atrial pressures (1.0 versus 4.2 mm Hg, p <0.01). Because of this high incidence of spontaneous closure of ASD, even in symptomatic patients, intensive medical management rather than surgical correction is recommended for patients with ASD who are younger than age 2 years. Elective surgical repair of ASD diagnosed after age 4 years is recommended because spontaneous closure after that age is probably unlikely.
Atrial septal defect in the adult
1976, Current Problems in Cardiology
The natural history of small atrial septal defects: Long-term follow-up with serial heart catheterizations
1976, American Heart Journal
Thirty-nine patients with a small ASD of the secundum type were followed clinically for 5 to 21 years (mean 11.6 years); no evidence of deterioration was found. In 26 of these cases recatheterization was carried out with a mean follow-up period of 9.8 years. No significant changes were found in most patients; in four patients, however, the leftto-right shunt had increased significantly. Our recommendations are that we will continue to advise surgery in patients with large ASD's, whereas we still do not recommend surgery in patients with small ASD's; the latter patients should be followed for longer periods to ensure that no deterioration occurs. The decision as to whether an ASD should be regarded as large or small in our opinion not only should be based on a chosen limit of pulmonary-to-systemic flow ratio, but clinical factors such as diastolic flow murmurs, ECG changes, the heart size, and the pulmonary vascular markings should also be taken into consideration.

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Case reportSpontaneous physiologic closure of an atrial septal defect after infancy∗

Abstract

The natural history of ventricular septal defects in infancy

Am. J. Cordiol.

Hemodynamics, clinical features, and course of atrial shunts in infancy (Abstr.)

Circulation

Case report
Spontaneous physiologic closure of an atrial septal defect after infancy^∗