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Atrial Septal Defect Essay

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An atrial septal defect (ASD) is a hole in the wall between the two upper chambers of your heart (atria) (Mayo, 2018). This heart condition is present at birth, which makes it congenital. Small defects can sometimes never really cause a problem, and may be found by accident. If an atrial septal defect is small, it is possible that it can close on its own during infancy or during childhood. If an atrial septal defect is large and well-established, it can cause damage to the heart and lungs. An adult who has had an undetected atrial septal defect for decades may have a shortened life span from heart failure or high blood pressure that affects the arteries in the lungs (pulmonary hypertension) (Mayo, 2018). In this paper, I will discuss the etiology, symptoms, clinical findings, echocardiography findings, catheterization uses, and outcomes of surgery for atrial septal defects. An ASD is a true deficiency that is located in the interatrial septum, that allows blood to be able to flow between both of the atria. There are several forms of ASD. The first is …show more content…
This repair uses a special device that is used to close the hole in the septum. There are two different devices that are approved by the FDA for this type of repair which is The Amplatzer Septal Occluder and the GORE HELEX Septal Occluder. Each of the drugs are different, but they both have similarities in the way they work. According to the Cleveland Clinic, “The device is put in place using a long, thin tube called a catheter. The device is attached to the catheter, which is guided to your heart through a vein in your groin. When the device is released from the catheter, it opens up and seals the hole. Over time, tissue grows over the implant and it becomes part of the heart”(Cleveland, n.d). After this procedure, the patient will need to take blood-thinner medication to keep the clots from being able to form on the

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