Medical terminology referred to as a Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD) or an Atrial Septal Defect (ASD). In terms of Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD), a wall between the main pumping chambers of the heart (the ventricles) is abnormally opened. And in Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) terms, there is a hole in the wall between the two upper chambers of the heart (the atria). This condition is congenital means present at birth.

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Mr. Sagar Kishor Savale (M. Pharm)
Technical Operations and Services Scientist
Holes in Heart

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Medical terminology referred to as a Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD) or an Atrial Septal
Defect (ASD). In terms of Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD), a wall between the main
pumping chambers of the heart (the ventricles) is abnormally opened. And in Atrial
Septal Defect (ASD) terms, there is a hole in the wall between the two upper chambers
of the heart (the atria). This condition is congenital means present at birth.
SIGNS OF THIS CONDITION: The amount of blood that flows to the lungs through-hole
increases tremendously causing damage to your heart and lungs. So, to prevent further
complications, it is always advisable to get the surgery or device closure to repair septal
defects.

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SYMPTOMS OF THIS CONDITION
Sometimes, there are no signs or symptoms of such defects in the early stage but can
begin in adulthood.
 Shortness of breath while exercising
 Tiredness
 Swollen legs, feet, or abdomen
 Skipped
 Stroke
 Heart murmur, an extra noise that can be heard by the doctor through a
stethoscope
DIAGNOSIS
 Chest X-ray
 Pulse oximetry which is used to check the blood’s oxygen level
 Cardiac catheterization
 Electrocardiograph testing (ECG)
 Ultrasound testing
AVAILABLE TREATMENTS
Hole in the heart causes many defect-related deaths. But due to advancements in health
care, these deaths are steeply declining with the increasing survival chances. As many
ASD’s close on their own during the early birth year of the child. But there are separate
treatments based on the age of a child or an adult.
Every condition requires certain treatment which involves some procedures to seal the
hole in the heart.
In this procedure, catheter inserts into the vein of the groin and threading it up towards
the septum under the influence of anaesthesia. Catheter than pushed out the two small
discs that are attached to it, plug the hole between the heart’s atria. It takes six months
to grow normal tissues around the device.

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Catheter procedures- Instead of dissecting the chest to operate on the heart, in this
procedure, a thin tube (catheter) is inserted into a blood vessel (in the groin or arm) and
is threaded to the heart skillfully through blood vessels guided by imaging techniques.
The catheter enables the doctor to lay a mesh patch or plug into place to close the hole.
Eventually, the heart tissue grows around the mesh and the hole is sealed permanently.
Open-heart Surgery- When the condition can’t be managed solely by medications, an
open-heart surgery might be recommended. This surgery is carried out under the
influence of general Anaesthesia and requires the use of a heart-lung machine to
substitute the essential functions of the heart and the lungs during the surgery. A small
cut is placed between the child's ribs to reach his heart and the defect is repaired using
stitches or clips. After the surgery, the patient is kept in the hospital for several days for
observation.
It usually takes a few weeks for a child to fully recover from open heart surgery.
Hospital stay and recovery time are shorter and quicker in case of a minimally invasive
surgery.
Mr. Sagar Kishor Savale
[Technical Services and Operations Scientist]
+91 9699150842