Patient Testimonial for Surgical Repair of Atrial Septal Defect (ASD)

An atrial septal defect is a congenital heart defect (present at birth) in which the heart has a hole between the atria (upper chambers of the heart), leading to an increased amount of blood flow through the lungs.

Cardiologists advise surgery to fix this defect and stop further problems.. Surgery for an atrial septal defect can be of two types: open heart surgery or catheter-based repair. In open-heart surgery, the surgeon creates an incision through the chest wall to access the heart and then seals the hole. Whereas, catheter-based repair involves inserting a tiny, flexible tube called a catheter into a blood vessel and guiding it to the heart using imaging tools. To plug the hole, a mesh patch or plug is inserted through the catheter. Heart tissue builds around the seal, sealing the hole permanently. Sometimes, a robot or minimally invasive surgery can be used to correct an atrial septal defect.

The patient is advised to limit physical activity for a few weeks after the surgery. For six months following the treatment, the doctor will prescribe drugs to prevent blood clots. The patient should have regular checks to monitor for any potential side effects, including heart failure, pulmonary hypertension, heart valve issues, and irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias), and heart valve issues.

Mast. Vincent Mbaiwa from Zambia, underwent treatment for Surgical Repair of Atrial Septal Defect(ASD), under the supervision of Dr. P. V. Naresh Kumar, Consultant Cardiothoracic & Transplant Surgeon, Yashoda Hospitals, Hyderabad.