Wednesday, September 24, 2003

New device repairs holes in heart without surgery

The Medical College of Georgia Children's Medical Center recently became one of the few sites around the country and the only one in Georgia outside of Emory University Hospital in Atlanta to offer a new device that repairs certain holes in the heart, without surgery.

Congenital heart defects occur in roughly eight out of every 1,000 newborns, with atrial septal defect being the fifth most common. Babies born with atrial septal defect have a deficiency of tissue between the left and right atria, or the top left and right chambers of the heart. This causes an excess of blood to be pumped into the top right chamber of the heart, forcing the heart to work harder and resulting in possible fatigue and greater susceptibility to respiratory infections. After many years, larger ASDs can lead to heart failure, pulmonary hypertension or early death.

The new device, known as an amplatzer septal occluder, is a saucer-shaped form of wire mesh filled with polyester fabric that cardiologists thread into the heart via a catheter inserted through a vein in the groin. Its unique shape and specialized delivery system allow a cardiologist to place it precisely, confirm placement, then release. The device immediately blocks the opening between the atria, and over the course of three to six months, heart tissue grows over the device, ensuring complete closure.

The occluder is a refinement of past methods, such as open heart surgery, which were more invasive and risky. Benefits include a shorter hospital stay and recovery time, with patients often going home the next day. In addition, there is no scar.

Other applications for the device include children who have undergone a fenestrated fontan procedure, a surgical procedure in which a hole is purposefully left in the heart for a short time to assist in heart function. In addition, the device may be used in adults with ASD (unrecognized as children) or those with a patent foramen ovale. All fetuses have a foramen ovale, an opening between the two atria that is normally closed by a flap of tissue soon after the infant is born. However, for some, the flap does not effectively seal the opening. While in most cases this does not result in any complications, there has been some recent interest in this disorder, associating it with a higher risk of stroke.

"The MCG Children's Medical Center remains on the cutting edge of technology and services," said Dr. Henry Wiles, chief of pediatric cardiology. "The Amplatzer Septal Occluder is the latest in a long line of comprehensive services, including heart surgery, intensive care support and treatment of heart disease in utero. And as always, the MCG Children's Medical Center is focused on supporting our patients and families, thanks to our philosophy of patient- and family-centered care."

MCG Health System is composed of three separate organizations MCG Health, Inc. and the clinical services offered by the faculty employees of the Medical College of Georgia and the members of the Physicians Practice Group.

The physicians of MCG Health System are community physicians and faculty employees of the Medical College of Georgia and the Physicians Practice Group, not employees of MCG Health Inc.

MCG Health, Inc. is a not-for-profit corporation operating the MCG Medical Center, MCG Children's Medical Center, the MCG Sports Medicine Center, MCG Ambulatory Care Center, the Georgia Radiation Therapy Center and related clinical facilities and services.

MCG Health, Inc. was formed to support the research and education mission of the Medical College of Georgia and to build the economic growth of the CSRA, the state of Georgia and the Southeast by providing an environment for faculty employees of the Medical College of Georgia and the Physicians Practice Group and community physicians to deliver the highest level of primary and specialty health care.

For more information, please visit www.MCGHealth.org.