The subxiphoid approach successfully used to treat an atrial septal defect complicated by a severe restrictive ventilatory dysfunction

Abstract

The subxiphoid approach was used to close an atrial septal defect (ASD) complicated by a severe restrictive ventilatory dysfunction. A 78-year-old female had ASD complicated by a severe restrictive ventilatory. The subxiphoid approach was chosen to do the closure in order to avoid aggravating her ventilatory function. The patient's postoperative course was uneventful. This paper deals with the successfull treatment of an ASD that was complicated by a severe restrictive ventilatory dysfunction.