Follow-up Care for Atrial Septal Defect in Children

An atrial septal defect is a hole in between the top two chambers of the heart. Due to this, blood flows through the hole from the left atrium to the right atrium. As the blood mixes together in the right atrium, it overfills the right chambers of the heart causing it to enlarge as the heart struggles to accommodate the additional volume of blood.

This congenital heart defect is surgically corrected by repairing the openings between the two upper chambers of the heart (atria) through patches or sewing them closed.

In a Mayo Clinic Q and A, Mayo Clinic pediatric cardiologist Dr. M. Yasir Qureshi explains the importance of follow-up care for children with this defect after surgery.

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