Can a 6 mm atrial septal defect close without surgery?

Question

Hello doctor,

My baby boy is four months old. He was diagnosed with a VSD when he was two months old, and his cardiologist recommended a follow-up after one month. During the check-up, his 3 mm VSD had closed, but the doctor discovered a 6 mm ostium secundum ASD. He mentioned that it might close spontaneously, like the VSD, so we should follow up in three months. We sought a second opinion from another cardiologist, who echoed the findings but noted that the ASD is a 6 mm superior secundum and will not close on its own due to its position. Is it true that my baby may need open-heart surgery to close it? I am worried about the scar and potential side effects for my baby.

Please advise.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to iclniq.com.

I understand your worries, but there is no need to be concerned, everything will be fine. From my experience, an ASD (atrial septal defect) of 6 mm can still close on its own, regardless of its position. I recommend waiting until your baby is six months old to have him checked again before making any decision about surgery. It is generally safer to operate on older children than on infants. If it does not close by then, the scars will be minimal and can be addressed with cosmetic or plastic procedures. There are rarely any significant effects after surgery, and your baby will live a normal life.

I hope he gets better soon.