Atrial Septal Defect

Overview

An atrial septal defect (ASD) is a hole in the wall (septum) between the two upper heart chambers (left and right atria). An atrial septal defect is a common type of heart condition present at birth (congenital heart disease).

An atrial septal defect causes the oxygen-rich blood from the upper-left heart chamber (left atrium) to flow to the upper-right heart chamber (right atrium) and mix with the oxygen-poor blood from the body. The blood then goes to the right pumping chamber (right ventricle) and is pumped into the lungs, and later goes back to the upper-left heart chamber (left atrium). An atrial septal defect may cause right heart enlargement, heart failure, heart rhythm problems (arrhythmias), stroke, pulmonary hypertension or other conditions.

Why choose Mayo Clinic for atrial septal defect

• Experience. Mayo Clinic doctors trained in heart disease (cardiologists), doctors trained in treating children who have heart disease (pediatric cardiologists), doctors trained in heart surgery (cardiovascular surgeons) and others have many years of experience evaluating and treating adults and children who have atrial septal defects and other congenital heart diseases.
• Team approach. Mayo Clinic doctors work together to diagnose and treat your condition.
• Diagnostic tests. Mayo Clinic doctors diagnose atrial septal defect and other congenital heart diseases with several tests, including echocardiogram, electrocardiogram, cardiac catheterization and other tests.
• Treatment expertise. Mayo Clinic doctors have expertise treating atrial septal defects with many options. Doctors perform a percutaneous device closure procedure when possible. In this procedure, doctors insert a small tube (catheter) into an artery in your groin and thread it to your heart, and insert a closure device into the hole in the septum through the catheter. Doctors also may perform open-heart surgery or minimally invasive heart surgery, which involves smaller incisions that may heal quicker and result in less discomfort than the larger incision usually made in open-heart surgery. Surgeons perform many surgeries to treat atrial septal defects each year.
• Congenital heart disease treatment. Mayo Clinic cardiologists and others have experience treating congenital heart diseases, including atrial septal defects. Staff in the Center for Congenital Heart Disease at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota treats adults and children who have congenital heart disease.
• Research. Mayo Clinic doctors study potential diagnostic tests and treatments for atrial septal defect and other congenital heart diseases and conduct clinical trials.

Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., is ranked among the Best Hospitals for heart and heart surgery by U.S. News & World Report. Mayo Clinic also ranks among the Best Children's Hospitals for heart and heart surgery.

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At Mayo Clinic, we assemble a team of specialists who take the time to listen and thoroughly understand your health issues and concerns. We tailor the care you receive to your personal health care needs. You can trust our specialists to collaborate and offer you the best possible outcomes, safety and service.

Mayo Clinic is a not-for-profit medical institution that reinvests all earnings into improving medical practice, research and education. We're constantly involved in innovation and medical research, finding solutions to improve your care and quality of life. Your doctor or someone on your medical team is likely involved in research related to your condition.

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Related book: Mayo Clinic Healthy Heart for Life! book provides an easy-to-follow plan to prevent and conquer heart disease.

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