Ventricular Septal Device Closure
Ventricular Septal Device Closure is a procedure to repair the opening in the wall (septum) dividing the two lower chambers of the heart (ventricles).
Some facts about Ventricular Septal Device Closure:
- Normally, the wall dividing the two Ventricles closes before birth.
- These Ventricles are separated by a membrane, called the Ventricular Septum.
- The leakage of the oxygenated blood from the left ventricle is prevented to the right ventricle containing deoxygenated blood by Ventricular Septum.
- The deoxygenated blood from the right ventricle is sent to the lungs for purification.
- A hole in the ventricular septum exist in VSD device closure because of which, the oxygenated blood gets mixed up with the deoxygenated blood as the reversal of the blood flow takes place from left to right.
- There is excessive blood pumping to the lungs and the heart gets an overload to supply oxygenated blood to the body as a result of this.
- The size of defective hole varies.
- It can be as small as a pinpoint or there can be no ventricular septum in extreme cases, which means there will be a single large ventricle with mixed up oxygenated and deoxygenated blood.
- Ventricular Septal Defects (VSD) generally present from the birth called as congenital heart defects.
- These are heart abnormalities which are an abnormal opening in the heart that didn't close during development or after birth.
Preparation for Ventricular Septal Device Closure:
- Your surgeon should be informed if you have ever had a problem with sedation or if you have allergies.
- Health problems, like diabetes or kidney problems should also be informed to your surgeon.
- Tell surgeon if you are pregnant or think you may be pregnant.
- Eating or drinking anything after midnight the night before the procedure of closure should be avoided.
- An echocardiogram test will be done to decide the suitability of VSD for device closure.
- A special echocardiogram known as transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) is used in addition to a echocardiogram to assess the finer details of the ASD.
- The exact location of the defect, and the distance from other important parts of the heart like aorta and heart valves are measured as a reasonable distance from all these vital structures is required to place the device in order to avoid immediate and long term complications.
Procedure for Ventricular Septal Device Closure:
- The hole can be fixed with a device closure if i is small which involves heart catheterization.
- Little risk or no risk at all is involved depending upon the complexity.
- A re-operation may be required to close small leaks that developed around the patch.
- The patient is administered with IV and intravenous medicines are started before the surgery starts.
- The patient will be given sedatives for relaxation purposes and local anesthesia
- Leads will be attached to his chest for ECG.
- The groin/arm area of the person will be cleaned and a plastic thin tube called a catheter will be inserted through that area.
- A contrast dye will be injected in the arteries to get an clear idea of the heart chambers and the size of the hole.
- An echocardiogram or transoesophageal echocardiogram is also taken if required.
- A special catheter is administered in the arteries after the size of the hole is determined, which carry a small metallic mesh-like closing device.
- The Ventricular Septal Device is then fitted in the hole and then released by the catheter.
- Heart tissue develops on the closure device after the catheter is then taken out, thus making it a part of the heart itself.
