Surgical treatment of atrial septal defect: Analysis of 150 corrective operations

One hundred fifty consecutive patients comprising our total experience with closure of ostium secundum atrial septal defects are reported. All patients were operated on under total cardiopulmonary bypass with ventricular fibrillation induced prior to opening the heart in the vast majority of patients. No patient died as a result of the operative procedure, and cerebral embolism of air or other particulate matter has not been recognized. These results, we believe, justify the aggressive approach to all ostium secundum atrial septal defects with a significant left to right shunt in symptomatic or asymptomatic patients. We also believe strongly that electrically induced ventricular fibrillation will minimize the possibility of air embolism which is a significant hazard in closing this defect with a beating heart.