Transcatheter cardiac fistula repair with the amplatzer duct occluder: A case report and review

Background: Clinically significant cardiac fistulas occur rarely and traditionally are surgically repaired. We describe the first known case of percutaneous closure of a left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) to left atrium (LA) fistula formed as the result of aortic valve replacement surgery. Case report: The patient was an 86-year-old woman with a history of aortic valve replacement who began complaining of shortness of breath 7 years later. Initially she was misdiagnosed as having mitral regurgitation. However, a transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) showed the presence of a 7.5 mm fistula between her LVOT and LA, producing a large regurgitant jet. As she was not a good surgical candidate, she underwent percutaneous closure. An Amplatzer Duct Occluder 9-PDA-006 (10 mm × 8 mm) device was successfully deployed in the fistula using TEE guidance. On follow-up, the patient described marked improvement of her symptoms. Discussion: In the rare case of cardiac fistulas that are deemed high risk for surgical intervention, a percutaneous approach with an occlusive device offers promise in treating these patients.