Early-Mid Term Follow-Up Results of Percutaneous Closure of the Interatrial Septal Defects with Occlutech Figulla Devices: A Single Center Experience

Background: Percutaneous closure of secundum type atrial septal defect (ASD) and patent foramen ovale (PFO) has gained widespread use in recent years. Herein, we evaluated the safety and efficacy of the Occlutech (R) Figulla devices for PFO and ASD closure in a reference tertiary center. Methods: All 143 patients (46.9% male, mean age 39.3 +/- 12.2 years) who underwent transcatheter PFO (n = 85) and ASD (n = 58) closure with Occlutech (R) Figulla devices between February 2009 and October 2011 were included in this study. An echocardiographic follow-up examination was performed at the 1st, 6th, and 12th month visits. Results: The devices were successfully implanted in all 143 patients (100%). In-hospital periprocedural complications were device embolization (0.7%; 1 ASD patient), atrial fibrillation (1.4%; 1 ASD and 1 PFO patients), supraventricular tachycardia (0.7%; 1 PFO patient), and vascular access hematoma (0.7%; 1 ASD patient). Among ASD patients, 2 patients had trivial (jet width <1 mm in diameter) and 1 patient had small (12 mm) residual shunts before hospital discharge, which disappeared after the 6-month visit. During the mean 15.4 +/- 9.6 months follow-up, all patients were asymptomatic and no ischemic stroke, cardiac perforation, device erosion, embolization, thrombus formation, or malposition of the device was observed. Conclusions: Percutaneous PFO and secundum type ASD closure with the novel Occlutech (R) Figulla Occluder devices without left atrial central pin and with significantly reduced meshwork was safe, feasible, and effective. (J Interven Cardiol 2012;25:375381)