Spontaneous Resolution of Residual Shunting in 2 Compromised Patients after Amplatzer Occlusion of Postinfarction Ventricular Septal Defects.

We report 2 closures of postinfarction VSDs with use of the Amplatzer Septal Occluder. Both elderly patients-one with severe heart failure, one with persistent hemolysis, and neither a surgical candidate-had high-velocity residual shunting through the occluders. We intensively managed the patients' conditions and used angiography and transthoracic echocardiography to record the gradual disappearance of each shunt over 4 months-the first such serial monitoring of which we are aware. We think that even substantial shunting in the presence of severe heart failure or hemolysis can eventually resolve spontaneously, assuming effective management of the concomitant medical conditions. PMID: 30833838 [PubMed - in process]
Source: Texas Heart Institute Journal - Category: Cardiology Authors: Tags: Tex Heart Inst J Source Type: research