ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Large atrial septal defects (ASDs) in children cause increased volume overload of the right side of the heart which in turn lead to impairment of left ventricular (LV) performance. AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate immediate LV rotational deformation changes in children with large ASDs post-device closure and removal of right ventricle (RV) volume overload. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty children who underwent transcatheter closure (TCC) of large secundum ASDs were included in the study. LV rotational deformation was assessed pre- and 24 hours post-device closure using speckle tracking imaging (STI). RESULTS: 55% were females with mean age 6.1 ± 3.5 years. LV peak basal clockwise rotation improved significantly (-6.9 ± 2.6° before vs -10.3 ± 4.1° after TCC, P = .005), and time to peak clockwise rotation (345.1 ± 124.7 milliseconds (ms) before vs 282.2 ± 82.9 ms after closure, P = .02). There was no significant difference in apical rotational parameters including peak counterclockwise rotation (P > .05 for both). LV twist (11.3 ± 3.8° before vs 17.5 ± 7.1° after closure, P = .001) and torsion (2.1 ± 0.7°/cm before vs 3.1 ± 1.2°/cm after closure, P = .01) were significantly improved, mainly as the result of improvement of LV basal rotation. LV revealed a significant increase in LV end-diastolic volumes (P = .02) 24 hour after TCC with no significant change (P > .05) in end-systolic volumes after closure. CONCLUSION: Increased peak LV twisting and torsion were attributed to the improved peak systolic clockwise basal rotation after TCC of large ASDs in children.