Foramen Secundum - Prognosis

Prognosis

Many patients with an ostium secundum that persists into adulthood will remain asymptomatic the duration of their lives. A mortality rate of less than one tenth of one percent is expected if the operation is performed correctly. Some argue that if the operation takes place before eight years of age, cardiac abnormalities such as cardiac dysrhythmia will be severely limited later in life. Others argue that the operation can take place as late as twenty four to limit cardiac complications after age forty. Mitral regurgitation and mitral valve prolapse are common after the age of forty if the ostium secundum is not repaired by age twenty four, according to some sources. Operative closure of atrial septal defects after the age of forty and the ability to diminish symptoms at all remains controversial. Some data does suggest that even after the age of forty, symptoms can be alleviated via surgical intervention, including prevention of Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia and other associated cardiac abnormalities.