Case report of worsening of preexisting pericardial effusion after ASD device closure: is it calamitous?

BACKGROUND: Secundum-type atrial septal defects (ASD) constitute 8% to 10% of congenital heart defect. Secundum ASDs can be closed either percutaneously or surgically. However, ASD device closure has proven to be technically safe and feasible; it is not free of complications. These complications include device embolization/malposition which have been reported in 3.5% of cases, arrhythmia, and pericardial effusion in 2.6% and 0.5–1.5% respectively, device thrombus, residual shunting, and impingement of the device on the adjacent structures. CASE PRESENTATION: We introduce three patients with secundum ASD who had preexisting pericardial effusion, device closure was performed for them, and after the procedure, the effusion size progressed significantly. We used multimodality imaging to diagnose the cause of pericardial effusion (PE). Cardiac erosion was diagnosed in one of the patients that managed surgically. We did not found any specific procedure-related cause for worsening the pericardial effusion in the other two patients. CONCLUSION: Several reasons include procedure-related complication and other systemic causes should be considered in patients who develop pericardial effusion after trans catheter closure of ASDs.