ABSTRACT
Introduction Major complications related to transcatheter closure of secundum atrial septal defects (ASDs) and patent foramen ovale (PFO) appear to be rare. However, most published studies of transcatheter ASD and PFO closure include a variety of devices, delivery systems, and techniques, thus limiting the ability to accurately quantify the risks associated with individual devices. Furthermore, single-device studies have generally included small numbers of subjects and, thus, the power of these studies to detect potentially important events is limited. Lack of a uniform classication scheme for procedural complications across studies and reports further hampers our ability to draw broadly generalizable conclusions regarding the safety of percutaneous closure. With these limitations in mind, this chapter will review several of the most commonly encountered complications of percutaneous ASD and PFO closure.
