High Incidence of Echocardiographic Abnormalities of the Interatrial Septum in Patients Undergoing Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation

Background: Atrial fibrosis or fatty deposition is known to increase the propensity for the development of atrial fibrillation (AF). Apart from the pulmonic veins, the interatrial septum (IAS) might play a role in the maintenance of AF. In contrast to left atrial anatomy and adjacent veins, the IAS cannot be visualized in detail with computed tomography. Thus, preprocedural transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) may provide important morphologic information beyond exclusion from atrial thrombi. Methods: The study comprised 108 consecutive patients (mean age 60 ± 11 years; 98 men). AF was paroxysmal in 91 (84%) and persistent in 17 (16%) patients. We investigated the morphological characteristics of the IAS by TEE in patients who underwent radiofrequency ablation of AF. Results: The IAS was structurally abnormal in 46 (43%) patients, showing the following echocardiograhic findings: atrial septal hypermobility or aneurysm (n = 27) associated with a patent foramen ovale (PFO) (n = 11) or with a small atrial septal defect (ASD) (n = 2), a septal flap associated with a PFO or an ASD (n = 8), and an abnormally thickened IAS (n = 12). A thrombus in the left atrial appendage was discovered in only 2 (2%) patients. Conclusions: A structurally abnormal IAS was diagnosed in nearly half of the patients undergoing ablation therapy for AF. The information obtained by TEE is mandatory to exclude left atrial thrombi prior the ablation procedure. Moreover, detailed knowledge of morphologic characteristics of the IAS facilitates an optimized and safe performance of the transseptal puncture using long sheaths with large diameters.     

Transesophageal Echocardiography in Candidates for Percutaneous Balloon Mitral Valvuloplasty

Prior to percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty (PBMV), mitral valve morphology and the presence of left atrial thrombi are usually evaluated by transthoracic two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography (TTE). This study analyzes the impact of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in addition to TTE on the selection of candidates considered for PBMV for mitral stenosis. Seventy-five patients with severe mitral stenosis who were considered as appropriate candidates for PBMV based on TTE findings were studied. In 19 (25%) patients, TEE revealed findings that were essential for PBMV but were missed by TTE: left atrial thrombi (n = 14; including 13 in left atrial appendage), right atrial thrombus (n = 1), incomplete cor triatriatum (n = 1) and mitral valve vegetation (n = 1). In two other patients, a left atrial thrombus had been suspected by TTE but could be excluded by TEE. TEE and TTE revealed similar scores of thickening, calcification, and mobility of the mitral valve. Compared to TTE, thickening of the subvalvular apparatus was graded lower using horizontal plane TEE due to shadowing by the mitral valve (echo score 1.8 ± 0.8 vs 1.4 ± 0.7; P < 0.05) whereas results from longitudinal plane TEE were similar to TTE findings. The data show that due to the high prevalence of left atrial thrombi, TEE should be performed in addition to TTE in all patients prior to PBMV.     

彩色多普勒超声心动图在老年房间隔缺损封堵术中的价值

目的探讨彩色多普勒超声心动图(CDE)在老年房间隔缺损(ASD)封堵术中的价值。方法选择老年ASD患者64例,封堵术前应用二维超声心动图观察ASD位置,测量ASD大小和残余边缘,彩色多普勒血流显像观察过房间隔分流束血流信号和过心脏瓣膜反流束血流信号,连续多普勒估测肺动脉压,合并心房颤动和多发ASD经食管超声心动图检查,筛选ASD封堵术适应证。ASD封堵术中应用二维超声心动图监视封堵器位置,用彩色多普勒血流显像监视有无过房间隔残余分流。ASD封堵术后应用CDE判断疗效。结果 64例老年ASD患者实施ASD封堵术全部获得成功,ASD封堵术后CDE判断疗效满意。结论 CDE在老年ASD封堵术中有重要价值。ASD封堵术前应用二维超声心动图观察ASD位置、大小和残余边缘,连续多普勒估测肺动脉压,合并心房颤动和多发ASD行经食管超声心动图检查是筛选老年ASD封堵术适应证的关键。     

经食管超声心动图在房间隔缺损及伴心内其他疾患介入治疗中的应用

目的探讨经食管超声心动图(TEE)在房间隔缺损(ASD)及伴心内其他疾患介入治疗中的应用价值。方法采用TEE准确评价ASD的空间方位、大小和边缘状况，及其与周围心内结构的关系，并在TEE引导下对单纯性ASD、Lutembacher综合征，Triology of Fallot三联症(TOF3)、部分适合封堵的房间隔膨胀瘤并ASD、多发性ASD进行综合性介入治疗。结果31例中，30例用Amplatzer封堵器对ASD封堵成功。对伴发的二尖瓣狭窄、肺动脉瓣狭窄于ASD封堵前行瓣膜球囊扩张术；对多发性筛孔状ASD先行球囊房间隔造口术，然后选用匹配的封堵器封堵，无残余分流。1例封堵失败，为ASD伴永存左上腔静脉引流入重度扩张的冠状静脉窦。结论TEE对于术前病例筛选，术中引导心导管、球囊和封堵器送入、定位和释放具有重要作用。     

Spectral Doppler Interrogation of the Pulmonary Veins in Atrial Septal Defect

The various components of the pulmonary venous (PV) flow are linked to physiological and pathological changes that predominantly occur in the left heart. Thus, spectral Doppler interrogation of the PVs provides hemodynamic insight mainly into left‐sided cardiac function. An exception to the dependence of PV flow on left heart events occurs in the setting of an atrial septal defect (ASD). The latter causes a portion of the PV blood flow, intended to cross the mitral valve, to be channeled into the more compliant right heart. This phenomenon makes the PV flow more dependent on the left‐to‐right interatrial shunt. The identification on the PV Doppler of a pattern that suggests uncoupling with left heart hemodynamics should raise the suspicion of an underlying ASD.     

Preoperative and postoperative mitral valve prolapse and regurgitation in adult patients with secundum atrial septal defects

Background: Little attention is given to development of mitral regurgitation (MR) in adults with atrial septal defect (ASD). The aim of the study was to determine the associated factors of MR in ASD adults before surgical repair and the fate of moderate to severe MR after surgery. Methods: We examined 71 consecutive patients with secundum ASD (47 ± 16 years) who underwent surgical repair. Clinical and echocardiographic variables including size of left and right heart systems and severity of MR and tricuspid regurgitation (TR) were investigated before and early after surgery. Results: Before ASD closure, 14 patients (20%) had moderate to severe MR and 25 patients (35%) showed mitral valve (MV) prolapse. The ASD patients with moderate to severe MR showed worse cardiovascular symptoms, increased occurrence of atrial fibrillation and MV prolapse, and greater left ventricular (LV) end‐diastolic volume, left atrial area, and TR severity than those with none to mild MR (all P < 0.05). Among preoperative variables, TR severity, left atrial area, LV end‐diastolic volume, and MV prolapse were associated with preoperative MR severity in all the patients (all P < 0.03). Isolated ASD closure (n=46) decreased MV prolapse (P=0.008). Preoperative moderate to severe MR decreased after ASD closure with and without MV surgery (n=9 and 5, respectively; both P < 0.05). Conclusions: Preoperative MR severity was associated with TR severity, dilated left heart chambers, and MV prolapse. MR decreased after ASD closure with and even without MV surgery.     

Assessment of accuracy of the Doppler pressure half-time method in the estimation of the mitral valve area immediately after balloon mitral valvuloplasty

AIM: The reliability of Doppler echocardiography in determining themitral valve area after balloon mitral valvuloplasty has beenquestioned, as discrepancies were noted between measurementsobtained by the pressure half-time method and those derivedhaemodynamically, immediately following completion of the procedure.Recent investigations, however, have indicated that these discrepanciesmay be attributable to the over-estimation of the mitral valvearea by haemodynamic measurements, caused by the presence ofthe iatrogenic atrial septal defect complicating transseptalcatheterization. The aim of the present study was to furthertest this hypothesis. METHODS AND RESULTS: Measurements of the mitral valve area by the Doppler pressurehalf-time method and the Gorlin formula were obtained and comparedin 238 consecutive patients before and immediately after retrogradenon-transseptal balloon mitral valvuloplasty, which does notinvolve puncture and/or dilatation of the inter-atrial septum.No significant difference was found between Doppler- and Gorlin-derivedmeasurements, neither before (1·04±0·23vs 1·03±0·23cm², P=ns) nor immediatelyafter (2·14±0·47 vs 2·12±0·49cm², P=ns) valvuloplasty. Linear regression analysis demonstrateda high degree of correlation between Doppler and Gorlin measurementsbefore (r=0·778) and after (r=0·886) the procedure.Good agreement was confirmed by the Bland—Altman method. CONCLUSION: Doppler echocardiography yields accurate measurements of themitral valve area immediately after retrograde non-transseptalballoon mitral valvuloplasty. This finding supports the hypothesisthat the creation of an iatrogenic atrial septal defect duringtransseptal catheterization may contribute to the poor agreementbetween Doppler and Gorlin data after balloon mitral valvuloplasty.     

Assessment of atrial pathologies in children using transesophageal echocardiography]

OBJECTIVE: Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is indicated for suspected atrial septal pathology and for monitoring of interventional procedures such as an atrial septal defect (ASD) closure during cardiac catheterization. Transesophageal echocardiography also helps to demonstrate postoperative complications and residual defects of complex congenital cardiac anomalies. METHODS: Transesophageal echocardiography was performed in 112 pediatric patients with or suspected atrial pathology at our institution between 1999-2002, using the standard techniques. The mean age was 8.7+/-4.2 years. RESULTS: In 45 of 112 children the suspected atrial defects were confirmed with the TEE. Patent foramen ovale was correctly predicted in 13.4% of patients by TEE, but only in 8.7% of patients by echocardiography. Multiple ASD's were correctly defined in 4.1%, and high venosus defects were documented in 6.1% of children by the TEE. We used TEE in 13% of patients for detecting atrial vegetations in patients with possible endocarditis, and evaluation of the postoperative care of atrial surgery such as Fontan or Senning operations and total correction of abnormal pulmonary venous return. Successful transcatheter closure of 7 ASD's was accomplished under TEE guidance. CONCLUSION: Transesophageal echocardiography allows a much more detailed evaluation of atrial morphology than transthoracic echocardiography even in infants. Transesophageal echocardiography is also indicated during interventional procedures and postoperative evaluation of the atrial pathology.     

Severe mitral regurgitation: A common occurrence in the aging patient with secundum atrial septal defect

Severe mitral valve regurgitation (MR) which necessitated mitral valve replacement was identified in 19 (3.9%) of 498 consecutive patients (age range 1–83 years) with secundum atrial septal defect (ASD). The incidence of severe MR was significantly higher in patients older than age 50 years, 15 of 98 (15%), than in patients either below 21 years, 1 of 213 (0.4%), or between ages 21 to 49 years, 3 of 187 (2%). The higher frequency and severity of MR in the older ASD patient has not previously been appreciated. The morphology of severe MR in the older ASD patient consists of fibrous thickening and deformity of the mitral leaflets with shortening and thickening of the chordae tendineae. Because of the rarity of severe MR in the young patient with ASD, the mitral valve pathology is still poorly defined.     

The role of transesophageal echocardiography in transcatheter closure of secundum atrial septal defects by the Amplatzer septal occluder

BACKGROUND: Our purpose was to determine the role of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in the closure of atrial septal defects by the Amplatzer septal occluder (ASO) (AGA Medical, Golden Valley, Minn). METHODS: A total of 240 patients with atrial septal defect (ASD) secundum were examined by transthoracic 2-dimensional echocardiography (TTE) and TEE to determine the ASD morphologic features, diameter, and rims. During transcatheter closure TEE was used for determination of the ASD diameter and guidance of the ASO implantation. RESULTS: Sixteen (6%) patients were found not suitable for transcatheter closure with TTE, 35 (14%) with TEE, and 2 during catheterization. Twenty-eight patients (18%) had partial or total deficiency of the posterior, inferoanterior, or inferoposterior rim, 54 (27%) had a centrally positioned ASD, 92 (46%) had insufficient superoanterior rim, and 9 had multiple ASDs, whereas 8 had a septal aneurysm associated with a single defect and 4 a multiperforated aneurysm. A total of 170 patients underwent implantation of ASO. The ASO was correctly positioned in 144 at the first attempt. In the remainder TEE revealed unstable position of the left atrial disk (12), opening of both atrial disks in the left atrium (5), deployment of the device through the smaller defect in patients with multiple ASDs (3), and, in 1 patient, the device was too small and had to be replaced by a larger one. CONCLUSIONS: Morphologic variations of the ASD are common. TEE is crucial for the determination of the ASD morphologic features, diameter, and rims, which are crucial for proper patient selection. TEE allows precise guiding and positioning of the ASO, which is essential for safe and effective transcatheter ASD closure.     

An interatrial tunnel: a rare form of atrial septal defects

Atrial septal defects (ASDs) account for approximately 6%–10% of congenital heart defects. The well‐known types of atrial septal communications are the ostium secundum, ostium primum, sinus venosus types, and coronary sinus defects. A 50‐year‐old female was referred for TEE for better assessment of MR severity and mechanism. 2D/3D‐TEE showed a rare combination of different abnormalities; bi‐leaflet mitral valve prolapse, cleft P2, cor triatriatum sinister, and a tunnel‐shaped IAS communication. To the best of our knowledge, this is a very rare case with a rare form of atrial septal defect that was not described before. We named this defect an interatrial tunnel.     

An Atrial Septal Ridge Diagnosed by Transesophageal Echocardiography

A left atrial ridge is an anomaly of irregular fusion between the septum primum and septum secundum.1 Aberrant fusion of the septa results in thickened and fibrotic tissue along the region of the fossa ovalis that will occasionally protrude into the left atrium.2 The presence of a left atrial ridge has multiple clinical implications due to its close proximity to the fossa ovalis. The location of this uncommon incongruence may make transseptal catheter-based approaches more challenging, underscoring the importance of imaging guidance to determine the ideal transseptal puncture site.Figure 1 shows cardiac images of a 64-year-old female with a history of severe mitral regurgitation, atrial fibrillation, sick sinus syndrome status post pacemaker implantation, pulmonary hypertension, systemic lupus erythematosus, and chronic kidney disease. She was seen by the valve team and underwent a transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) to determine candidacy for transcatheter edge-to-edge repair of the mitral valve. Two-dimensional biplane imaging of the interatrial septum (IAS) shows a linear structure on the left atrial side of the fossa ovalis. Three-dimensional imaging of the IAS revealed that the structure was consistent with an atrial septal ridge.Open in a separate windowFigure 1(A) Transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) 2-dimensional (2D) imaging of the interatrial septum with the atrial septal ridge shown by the yellow arrows. (B) 3D TEE rotated view of the interatrial septum with the fossa ovalis shown in plane with the ridge (yellow arrow). (C) Cardiac magnetic resonance cine SSFP 4-chamber image demonstrating the atrial septal ridge (yellow arrow). (D) The MitraClip transcatheter mitral valve delivery system safely traversed across the interatrial septum (red arrow) with the yellow arrow pointing towards the atrial septal ridge. RA: right atrium; LA: left atrium; AV: aortic valve; IAS: interatrial septum; FO: fossa ovalis; MV: mitral valve     

Residual atrial septal defects following balloon mitral valvuloplasty using different techniques. A transthoracic and transoesophageal echocardiography study demonstrating an advantage of the Inoue balloon.

The incidence and severity of atrial septal defects following balloon mitral valvuloplasty have been assessed using transthoracic and transoesophageal echocardiography in 20 patients 3-36 months following the procedure. In eight patients (group A) the atrial septum was dilated with an 8 mm Olbert balloon and either a double or bifoil balloon used to dilate the mitral valve. In 12 patients (group B) the Inoue balloon, with a slimmer deflated profile, was used following dilatation of the interatrial septum with a 14 French vessel dilator. In group A, using transthoracic echocardiography, one atrial septal defect was imaged and transatrial flow detected by colour flow Doppler in five patients. In seven of the eight patients transoesophageal echocardiography clearly imaged an atrial septal defect and left-to-right shunting was demonstrated by colour flow Doppler. Valsalva contrast studies revealed residual transatrial flow in all eight patients. The mean width of the colour flow jet was 5.8 mm. In group B patients, using transthoracic echocardiography, only one patient had evidence of residual transatrial flow (demonstrated by Valsalva contrast). Using transoesophageal echocardiography Valsalva contrast studies, transatrial flow was seen in 11 of the 12 patients. However, no defects were imaged and colour flow Doppler indicated left-to-right shunting in only two patients. The mean width of the colour flow jet was 1.5 mm. Transoesophageal echocardiography with colour flow Doppler and Valsalva contrast studies therefore provides a sensitive method for the detection of residual atrial septal defects following balloon mitral valvuloplasty. Transatrial flow persists in the majority of these patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Residual atrial septal perforation after percutaneous transvenous mitral commissurotomy with Inoue balloon catheter

To estimate the incidence of residual atrial septal perforation (ASP) following percutaneous transvenous mitral commissurotomy (PTMC) with the Inoue balloon catheter and to examine the factors contributing to ASP, we studied 46 patients with mitral stenosis undergoing PTMC. Residual ASP was evaluated by Doppler color flow imaging 1 day after PTMC, and was detected in 7 out of 46 patients (15.2%). We examined the relationship between the development of ASP (ASP+) and the age of the patient, the left atrial dimension before PTMC, the mean pressure difference between left and right atrium after PTMC, and the duration of the procedure from atrial septal puncture by the Brockenbrough method to balloon inflation. There was a good correlation between the development of residual ASP and the duration of the procedure (ASP+, 51.0 +/- 34.0 minutes; without ASP, 24.6 +/- 16.2 minutes; p less than 0.01). However, there was no significant correlation between the development of ASP and other factors. In the follow-up study, ASP disappeared in four patients within 3 months. ASP persisted in two patients for 1 year after PTMC. However, the shunt in these two patients was clinically insignificant. These data suggest that residual ASP may depend on the duration of the procedure, and that most cases of ASP disappear within 1 year after PTMC.     

房间隔缺损并发畸形的介入治疗

目的 :评价同期应用介入治疗房间隔缺损 （ASD）及其并发心脏其它畸形的可行性和治疗效果。方法 :全组 7例 ,年龄 2～ 6 5 （34± 2 8）岁。经临床、心电图、X线及超声心动图诊断为 ASD并发其他心脏畸形 ,其中 3例为肺动脉瓣狭窄 ,2例为二尖瓣狭窄 （L utembacher综合征 ） ,2例为动脉导管未闭 （PDA ）。应用 Amplatzer封堵器经导管关闭ASD前 ,先纠正其它畸形 （包括瓣膜成形术及 PDA封堵术 ）。术后 3d,1～ 6月分别行经胸超声心动图 （TTE）、心电图、X线检查评价治疗效果。结果 :7例同期介入治疗均获得成功 ,术中未发生任何重要并发症。术后 3d,1～ 6月TTE显示房间隔无残余分流。并发肺动脉瓣狭窄患者 ,术后即刻跨肺动脉瓣压差得到满意的下降 ;L utembacher综合征患者 ,二尖瓣瓣口面积分别由术前 1.0 ,1.2 cm2增加到术后 1.9,2 .0 cm2 ,左房平均压分别由 2 9,2 6 m m Hg（1mm Hg=0 .133k Pa）降至 8,7m m Hg;并发 PDA患者 ,应用 Amplatzer封堵器 PDA关闭术后 10 min降主动脉侧位造影 ,无残余分流。术后 6月 X线检查显示肺血减少 ,心脏房、室缩小。结论 :同期介入治疗 ASD并发某些心脏畸形是一种有效、安全、简便可行的方法。     

Clinical utility of transoesophageal echocardiography--preliminary experience of 100 cases.

We performed transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and compared its results with transthoracic echocardiographic (TTE) studies in a consecutive series of 100 cases. TEE was performed with a 5 MHz transducer with pulsed wave, continuous wave and colour Doppler facilities. All the patients were in unsedated state; the initial 50 were, in addition, monitored noninvasively for any change in heart rate, blood pressure or arterial oxygen saturation. The procedure was well tolerated by all; one patient had transient ventricular bigeminy. Except increase in heart rate and systolic blood pressure at the time of insertion of probe, there was no change in any of the clinical parameters studied. In patients of mitral stenosis, a thrombus in left atrium (LA) or left atrial appendage (LAA) was seen in 7/52 TEE studies, as compared to 4/52 TTE studies. LAA thrombi (2 cases) were detected only on TEE. Following balloon mitral valvuloplasty, a small atrial septal defect was seen in 6/8 TEE, but only 2/8 TTE studies. In 20 cases with doubtful atrial septal defects on TTE, TEE revealed an intact septum in 6 and delineated the anatomy of the defect in the remaining 14. TEE facilitated detection and better visualisation of paravalvular regurgitation in 4 cases with mitral and 3 cases with aortic valve prosthesis. In addition, TEE helped in excluding vegetations in 3 suspected cases of infective endocarditis and in studying details of 2 intracardiac masses. We conclude, TEE can be safely performed in conscious unsedated patients and provides valuable information in addition to transthoracic echocardiography.     

Spontaneous embolization of an atrial septal defect occluder device into the left ventricular outflow tract in a patient with pulmonary stenosis

A 24‐year‐old man was admitted to our outpatient clinic for his routine checkup of consecutively percutaneously treated atrial septal defect (ASD) and pulmonary valvular stenosis 45 days ago. A 24 mm ASD occluder device was implanted under transthoracic echocardiographic guidance and 80 mm Hg peak‐to‐peak pulmonary valvular gradient decreased to 20 mm Hg gradient after pulmonary valve dilatation with 23 mm NUMED II transluminal valvuloplasty catheter balloon. Atrial septal defect (ASD) closure is now routinely performed using a percutaneous approach under echocardiographic guidance especially transthoracic echocardiography (TEE). Centrally located, ostium secundum type and less than 3.5 cm in size are considered ideal for device closure. Although there is considerable variation in size and location of the defects, TEE guidance is quite important for this proportion of ASDs. The selection of patients for percutaneous transcatheter closure of a secundum ASD requires accurate information regarding the anatomy of the defect such as its maximal diameter and the amount of circumferential tissue rims.     

Transesophageal Doppler color echocardiography in the evaluation of patients after percutaneous mitral valvuloplasty

To determine the value of transesophageal ultrasound in the assessment of patients after percutaneous mitral valvuloplasty, 42 patients were studied by transthoracic (TTE) and transesophageal (TEE) two-dimensional and color Doppler echocardiography. All of them were studied as out-patients and without complications. We describe the technique, planes of examination and the advantages that this new acoustic window offers in patients after balloon valvuloplasty regarding to: detection of thrombus in the left atrium (LA), visualization of spontaneous echo contrast in the LA, evaluation of mitral regurgitation (MR), detection of small atrial septal defects (ASD) and evaluation of the stage of the commissures of the mitral valve. We detected thrombus by TEE, in 5/42 vs 1/42 by TTE approach. Spontaneous echo contrast was found in 35/42 by TEE and none by TTE. Small ASDs were visualized in 10/42 patients vs 2/42 by TTE. No differences were found in the evaluation of MR and mitral valve commissures either by TEE or TTE. We conclude that transesophageal echocardiography is a well-tolerated technique in outpatients which complements and improves the information obtained by the transthoracic approach in patients after balloon mitral valvuloplasty.     

Partial atrioventricular septal defect assessed by real-time three-dimensional echocardiography: a case report

A 48-year-old woman was admitted with a heart murmur and increased difficulty in breathing. Two-dimensional echocardiography revealed a defect in the lower part of the atrial septum [(primum atrial septal defect (ASD)] and a pouch at the interventricular septum. Color Doppler echocardiography detected grade 3/4 mitral regurgitation. Real-time three-dimensional echocardiography (RT-3DE) revealed a cleft in the anterior leaflet of the mitral valve toward the tricuspid valve, and the ASD located near the atrioventricular valves with 14mm in minor axis. Color Doppler three-dimensional echocardiography disclosed left-to-right ASD shunt toward the atrial posterior wall. No shunt through the pouch at the membranous part, left ventricular outflow obstruction, or partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection was observed. RT-3DE is quite useful to describe complicated congenital heart disease.