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Septal Defect

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What is a Septal Defect?

Also referred to as a “hole or flap in the heart," a septal defect is a congenital heart issue that involves blood improperly flowing between the heart's left and right chambers because of an opening in the wall that separates the two sides (the septum). There are several types of septal defects.

Atrial septal defect (ASD) happens when there is an abnormal opening between the two upper chambers of the heart, called the left and right atrium. This opening lets blood flow back into the lungs.
Ventricular septal defect (VSD) happens when there is an opening between the two lower chambers of the heart, called the left and right ventricle. This causes blood to flow back into the right ventricle instead of going into the aorta.
Eisenmenger’s Complex is when a septal defect is present along with high blood pressure in the lungs. It may also include an aorta that is in the wrong position.
Atrioventricular canal defect happens when there is an opening between the upper and lower chambers of the heart. This causes poor blood flow coming from the lungs.
Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a flap between the top two chambers of the heart (the atria). About 25% of people around the world have a PFO. For a small number of people, this opening should be closed with surgery or a procedure.

What Are the Symptoms of a Septal Defect?

Some people have no symptoms. In the other cases, symptoms can include:

Slow growth
High blood pressure in the lungs
Shortness of breath
Heart murmur

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UR Medicine's Treatments for Septal Defect

Treatment depends on how serious the defect is. If treatment is needed, doctors can usually fix the opening with either a nonsurgical (percutaneous) procedure or surgery. Both methods are usually very successful in restoring normal blood flow.

The Structural Heart Program at UR Medicine Cardiac Care specializes in nonsurgical repair for ASD and PFO. To find the best treatment, you may need an echocardiogram and/or a cardiac catheterization.

During the procedure, a closure device is attached to a thin tube called a catheter. The doctor guides the catheter through the blood vessels to the heart and across the defect, using X-ray and ultrasound imaging. The cardiologist then slowly releases the closure device so that it opens and covers both sides of the opening, sealing it shut. Over time, scar tissue grows over the device and it becomes part of the heart.

Visit the Abbott structural heart website and the Gore Cardioform Septal Occluder website for details on the devices we use.

Patient Stories

Her Heart Stopped

Brynn Taylor was born with a rare, life-threatening heart defect. Weighing just 2 pounds at birth, Brynn would need to wait until she weighed 5 pounds to have open-heart surgery at UR Medicine's Golisano Children's Hospital.

What Sets Us Apart?

Structural heart disease is complex. Treating it requires a deep understanding of your condition as well as the range of treatment options. That’s why UR Medicine offers the Structural Heart Program, completely focused on treating structural and heart valve disease.

We offer a multidisciplinary team of providers who specializes in percutaneous and surgical treatments. UR Medicine can also provide every other specialist you may need, including echo-cardiologists, radiologists, and specialists in heart failure, oncology, pulmonology and our congenital cardiac care.

As the only institution in the area that is part of an academic medical center, UR Medicine Cardiac Care is involved in the latest treatment and research on septal defects.