Professor Ehud Raananileading cardiothoracic surgeon
At the Top Ihilov Medical Center, heart defect treatment is performed by experienced and highly qualified cardiac surgeons. Specialists operate on both children and adults.
The cardiothoracic surgery department is fully equipped with modern medical equipment and technology that allows for open-heart surgery.
Atrial Septal Defect: Advantages of Treatment at the Top Ihilov Medical Center
- Highly qualified cardiac surgeons who are proficient in all surgical treatment techniques.
- Modern equipment and technology in the department.
- Ability to operate on very young children.
- Excellent conditions for accommodation and treatment.
- Possibility of comprehensive examination in any specialty.
- An atmosphere of attention and friendliness at the medical center.
Atrial Septal Defect: Treatment Methods at the Top Ihilov Medical Center
In a child, while in the womb, there is a hole between the atria of the heart, but when the baby is born, this hole should close. If closure does not occur, the child grows with a heart pathology. Usually, such children are pale, thin, inactive, may lag in development, and have difficulty learning in school. The defect threatens the child's health as it can lead to pulmonary hypertension. People with an atrial septal defect (ASD) die early.
The atrial septal defect is treated only by surgical means. In the case of a secondary defect, the hole in the septum is sutured, while in the case of a primary defect, a "patch" implant is placed over the hole. The material for the implant can be synthetic, and autologous pericardium and xenopericardium are also used.
The surgery to correct ASD is performed on open heart; the heart is removed from the circulatory system, and the patient is connected to an artificial system. The intervention is complex, requiring hospitalization and rehabilitation treatment. The prognosis for treatment is definitely good.
At the Top Ihilov Medical Center, a new unique method of minimally invasive treatment for atrial septal defect has been integrated into routine practice. The method involves delivering an implant (referred to as a button implant because it resembles a button, with a special loop in the center of the disk) into each atrium using two catheters. Each implant is pressed against the atrial septum and the two implants are secured together with a loop, thus closing the defect. This method has shown excellent treatment results for very young patients. Children tolerate the surgery well, recover, and can live without restrictions.
- Therapeutic angiography — stenting of coronary arteries
Atrial Septal Defect: Diagnosis at the Top Ihilov Medical Center
Children with ASD typically exhibit thinness, paleness, and are prone to frequent pneumonia and colds. The child does not want to run and tries to move less. Teenagers and adults complain of heart palpitations, shortness of breath, and inability to engage in physical labor. Hypoxia and pulmonary hypertension may be observed.
Normally, the defect is detected in early childhood, but insufficient pediatric follow-up may miss the pathology, leaving the child without attention. To diagnose the heart defect, patients undergo the following studies:
- ECG;
- chest X-ray;
- echocardiography;
- cardiac catheterization + angiography with contrast agent.
These studies allow for the determination of the characteristics of ASD and the selection of surgical treatment tactics. To prepare for surgery, the patient undergoes additional examinations that assess their overall condition.