Feasibility and safety of transcatheter closure of atrial septal defects with deficient posterior rim.

Objectives: To evaluate the feasibility and safety of percutaneous closure of complex secundum-type atrial septal defects (ASD) in patients with posterior-inferior rim deficiency.

Background: Transcatheter approach is the method of choice for ASD closure; however, up to now 20% of the defects are not considered suitable for percutaneous intervention because of the lack of surrounding rims, especially the posterior-inferior.

Methods: A total of 268 patients were evaluated between March 2005 and April 2011 for ASD closure.