Congenital Heart Disease in Adults
Congenital Heart Conditions are conditions that are present at birth. In some patients, these conditions are not diagnosed or not addressed until adulthood. In such cases an interventional cardiology procedure may be performed to correct a structural heart defect in order to avoid the need for open heart surgery. One of these conditions is the presence of a hole between the chambers of the heart. If the communication (hole) is between the upper chambers of the heart called atria, it is the called an Atrial Septal Defect (ASD). If the communication is between the lower chambers of the heart called the ventricles, then it is a called a Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD). Such a communication (hole) may be possible to be corrected (closed) using a catheter in order to go inside the heart and deploy a device, like an umbrella, which stays there and keeps the hole closed for life. This procedure is performed through a vein in the leg.
