The frequency and importance of chest pain in midterm follow up of transcatheter closure of interatrial septal defect

Introduction: We evaluated chest pain alongside other midterm subjective and objective complications of the transcatheter closure of atrial septal defects (ASDs) and patent foramen ovales (PFOs) with various closure devices.
Methods: This cross-sectional study, performed from March 2010 to October 2015 in Rajaie Cardiovascular, Medical, and Research Center, evaluated 313 patients (mean age = 29.12 ± 10 years, 32.9% male) for probable complications associated with the transcatheter occlusion of secundum ASDs (n = 289, mean age = 30.5 ± 11.4 years, 28% male) or PFOs (n = 24, mean age = 42.8 ± 10.2 years). ASD closure was performed under sedation and transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) guidance. Duration of follow-up was 12 ± 3 months (mean follow-up = 11.52 months).
Results: Among the subjective complications, chest pain was the most frequent complaint during the follow-up period and although it was common (7.3%), a clear cardiac etiology was rare. Thirteen (4.2%) patients reported palpitation during the follow-up period, and 4 had documented arrhythmias—including atrial flutter, atrial fibrillation, and 2:1 atrioventricular block. Migraine with or without aura occurred in 1.6% of the patients. Objective complications comprising tamponade, device embolization, and thrombus formation occurred in 6 (1.9%) patients. There was no procedure-related mortality in our patients.
Conclusion: Transcatheter closure of PFOs and secundum-type ASDs in our adult patients using ASD septal occluders was associated with a high degree of success, minimal procedural subjective and objective complication rates, and excellent short- and midterm results. Although chest pain was common after the first month following ASD closure, there was no cardiac death or aortic erosion in 11.52 months follow up.