Perimembranous VSD
The Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD) is a very common heart defect and by far the most challenging. There are basically two types of ventricular deptal defects (VSD), the muscular and the peri-membranous. The muscular is the easier to close by a device since it is far away from critical structures (conduction system, valves) and has adequate healthy tissue in the surrounding area (good rim). Many devices including metallic devices have been used successfully for the correction of muscular VSD’s. The most common VSD is the peri-membranous one. It is usually very close to the aortic valve on the left side and the tricuspid valve on the right side; further the conduction system passes close to the VSD. Large perimembranous VSDs are sent to surgery with all the associated problems related to open heart surgery and are corrected by good surgeons with low mortality.
The results of metallic devices are mediocre to disastrous. The incidence of complete heart block after the use of a popular metallic device was 20% or 20 times more than Surgery in a European clinical trial. Use of this device has been abandoned and we believe that this will be the fate of any metallic device in this critical position. The Transcatheter Patch is an ideal device for peri-membranous VSD occlusion. Since the device is wireless, it cannot impinge on critical structures like the aortic valve and it is too soft to compress the conduction system. It is no surprise that no incidence of heart block or aortic insufficiency have been found in perimembranous VSD occlusion cases using the Transcatheter Patch. In addition, due to the unique design of the Transcatheter Patch, challenging VSDs such as in cases of Fallot Tetralogy, have been repaired. The Transcatheter Patch is CE-marked for VSD occlusion.