Video-assisted cardioscopic staple closure for atrial septal defect.

Our goal was to determine the feasibility of video-assisted cardioscopic closure of atrial septal defect (ASD) without cardiopulmonary bypass using a staple catheter device and guiding catheter in an experimental setting. An artificial linear atrial septal defect (AASD) was created in 7 swine under video-assisted cardioscopic view, and staple closure was attempted at the AASD with a stapler inserted through a trocar guiding catheter via the right atrium under median sternotomy. The staple device was successfully and safely anchored in 4 animals. The whole process of stapling could be monitored by cardioscope and by post mortem macroscopic examination. In conclusion, although the size and flexibility of the stapler and the guiding catheter must be improved, our results demonstrate that there is a strong potential for video-assisted staple closure of ASD using this novel technique, which could contribute to the reduction of the number of open heart operations and thereby iatrogenic morbidity.