Surgical validation and implications for transcatheter closure of quantitative echocardiographic evaluation of atrial septal defect

Accurate evaluation of secundum atrial septal defect (ASD) is important for the success of transcatheter closure. The purpose of this study was (1) to describe a quantitative evaluation by transthoracic (TTE) and transesophageal (TEE) echocardiography of the various morphologic features of ASD that might be important for patient selection for transcatheter closure, and (2) to assess the reliability of these 2 methods by surgical findings. Preoperative TTE and TEE were used to evaluate the ASD of 27 children undergoing surgical closure. Measurements included the diameters of ASD and the atrial septal lengths in the transverse and longitudinal axis, and the width of the superior, inferior, anteroinferior, and posterior septal margins. The shape and location of the ASD and the adequacy of the septal margins for anchoring occluding devices were determined. Echocardiographic data were compared with corresponding surgical measurements. No significant difference occurred in the means of all the parameters measured with the 3 methods, except for the transverse ASD diameter (p <0.05). Good agreement occurred between TTE and TEE and surgical data, except for the transverse ASD diameter, transverse atrial septal length, and the posterior septal margin on TTE. Intraclass correlations between TTE and TEE and surgical measurements of all parameters were good, except for the transverse ASD diameter. The accuracy in determining shape and location of the ASD by TTE and TEE were 100%, whereas that for determining the adequacy of septal margins was 98% and 97%, respectively. In conclusion, TTE and TEE are reliable methods for quantitative evaluation of ASD.