Congenital Heart Disease

Atrial septal defect closure

An atrial septal defect is a hole in the heart between the two upper chambers of the heart. This is one of the most common congenital heart defects. For many patients, this hole can be closed minimally invasively by passing a closure device though blood vessels in the groin up into the heart. The recovery after this procedure is usually under 24 hours.

Patent foramen ovale closure

A patent foramen ovale is present in up to 25% of the general population. In rare cases, a large PFO can cause problems because it allows too much blood flow to mix from the deoxygenated side to the oxygenate side. In other cases, it can be implicated as a cause for stroke. Closure of a PFO is currently an off-label procedure, but can be appropriate in select cases. This procedure is done in a similar fashion to the atrial septal defect closure.

Ventricular septal defect closure

A ventricular septal defect is a hole between the two lower chambers of the heart. These can be congenital or acquired. UNC is one of the few centers in the area that offer a percutaneous approach to closing these holes.

Patent ductus arteriosus closure

A patent ductus arteriosus is a fetal remnant that connects the aorta and pulmonary artery. In many cases, these can be closed percutaneously by passing an occluder device from the femoral vessels. Recovery is typically less than 24 hours.