I got a call from Mr. Hainik living in Algeria, asking that my 6-month-old baby boy is having a hole in his heart which is called by the doctor Atrial Septal Defect. I would like to know if is there any other approach to close the opening without having an open heart surgical procedure. Can ASD/VSD closure be done just by medical management?

An atrial septal deformity is a hole in the heart which separates the two upper chambers medically
called the right atrium and left atrium. We can see the hole in the different parts of the septum.
Nowadays doctors are practicing closing the hole without open heart surgery but it 
depends on the location of the hole in the heart. The hole in the secundum atrial septal and patent foramen oval (PFO) can be closed without a surgical procedure. This procedure is done in the cardiac
catheterization lab without surgery. But we have to know that all the atrial defects in the child can’t
handle without surgery.
The Non-surgical procedure to close the hole of the heart is by implanting a device into the hole to plug it up from inside the heart. This is practiced by passing a little tube (catheter) from a vein situated in the crotch and up into the heart. The methodology is performed in the Cath-Lab and does not require an open heart procedure. Many medical devices are available for this procedure and the results of this procedure have been similar to surgical results. By and large, surgical and non-surgical both procedures are successful and have low risk. While the surgical procedure will little a long time in recovery and left a wound mark. The Cath-Lab procedure is comparatively new and the long-term results are not yet recorded but it looks to be as excellent as ASD/VSD surgery.