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BackA blade atrial septostomy is a catheter-based procedure that widens an existing hole in the wall (septum) between the two upper chambers of the heart (atria), using a special catheter with a cutting wire mounted on it (see diagram).
The hole, which can be present in infants at birth, is called an atrial septal defect (ASD). By widening the defect, oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor blood can mix more freely.
Under normal circumstances, oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor blood should not mix. However, babies born with certain heart defects do not receive enough oxygen-rich blood. As a result, the infant tends to have a bluish tint (cyanosis) to the skin, lips, fingernails and other parts of the body. This condition is often called blue baby.
A successful atrial septostomy is a nonsurgical procedure that widens the ASD in order to improve circulation until all the heart defects present can be surgically repaired. As a result of the balloon atrial septostomy, the baby’s color returns to a more natural, healthier tone.