Percutaneous closure is the gold standard treatment for atrial septal defects, but the procedure can be complex in case of femoral thrombosis. Although unusual for congenital interventionists, transhepatic atrial septal defect closure is an attractive alternative to the internal jugular vein, especially when approaching the interatrial septum. Herein, we report the case of an adult patient with significant co-morbidities who had successful transhepatic atrial septal defect closure after a failed transjugular attempt. We describe the use of an absorbable haemostatic gelatin sponge to efficiently and safely achieve haemostasis after the use of a large vascular sheath with combined anticoagulation and antiplatelet therapy.
Keywords: Atrial septal defect; cardiac catheterisation; device closure; haemostasis; transhepatic access.