Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) is one of the most common cases of congenital heart disease worldwide. In childhood, such a defect often goes unnoticed, but as a person with ASD grows older, the condition gets severe. Echocardiography has made detecting such defects easier and surgical interventions can treat the condition effectively. However, procedures can be expensive. Fortunately, some of the best (ASD) Atrial Septal Defect closure hospitals in India offer quality cardiac treatments at affordable costs. 

This article discusses ASD as a condition and Atrial Septal Defect closure costs in India. 

What is an Atrial Septal Defect? 

ASD is a congenital heart condition that develops because of one or more holes in the septum (membrane/wall) between two upper chambers or atria. The left upper chamber receives oxygenated blood from the lungs, while the right upper chamber receives blood from the rest of the body (through the vena cava). 

Atrial Septal or ‘a hole in the heart’ causes oxygenated blood in the left atrium to mix up with deoxygenated blood in the right atrium. This has several health implications, like: 

• Reduced oxygen delivery to cells and tissues
• Body temperature imbalance 
• Body fatigue, loss of stamina 
• Blood pressure imbalance in the superior and inferior vena cava 
• Impaired functioning of lungs 
• Frequent lung inflammation and infection 
• Heart palpitation 

If not treated effectively or ignored over time, ASD can damage lung functioning irreversibly and result in an enlarged heart, thereby increasing mortality risk. 

Different types of ASDs: 

• Secundum ASD: This is the most common type of ASD with only one hole in the middle of the membrane (septum) between two atria. 
• Primum ASD: In this type of ASD, the location of the hole is at or near the bottom part of the septum between the atria. 
• Sinus Venosus ASD: In this case, the location of the hole or defect is at or near the top of the septum or on the atrial septum separating the right atrium from the superior or inferior vena cava. This type of ASD is less common. 
• Coronary Sinus (CS) ASD: This is another rare form of ASD that happens because of defects in the wall separating the left atrium from the coronary sinus. In CS ASD, the wall between the left atrium and CS may be partially or completely absent. CS is the vein that collects and flows deoxygenated blood from the heart muscles to the right atrium. 

How is an ASD diagnosed and treated? 

The majority of septum defects in newborns can heal on their own as the babies grow. If it does not and the person experiences related health conditions, doctors usually perform echocardiograms to detect the defect and its position in the heart. Cardiac MRI and Scan can be done to measure the effects of the ASD on lungs and the heart. Based on the diagnosis of the size of the defect, ASD can be categorized as:

• Small (less than 5 mm diameter of the hole)
• Large (over 5 mm)

Small ASDs require regular monitoring of their effect on lung and heart functioning. In case the hole does not close naturally, doctors prescribe performing either of, 

• Catheter-based closure, or 
• Open heart surgery 

Large ASDs mostly require performing open heart surgery to treat the defect. These procedures are regularly performed upon requirement by specialists at the best (ASD) Atrial Septal Defect closure hospitals in India. 

The cost implication of ASD treatments 

To understand Atrial Septal Defect closure costs at any of the best (ASD) Atrial Septal Defect closure hospitals in India, we first need to understand the process of ASD treatment. 

• Once a patient experiences symptoms of ASD, doctors may prescribe several rounds of echocardiography and imaging using cardiac MRI or scan. 
• If imaging and echocardiography detect large ASD, doctors may perform cardiac catheterization to measure the functioning of the heart valves and the blood pressure inside the heart and lungs.   
• Based on the condition of the heart and the patient’s age, doctors may suggest either the catheter-based ASD closure procedure or stitching the hole/defect through open-heart surgery. 

For catheter-based ASD closure in any of the best ASD (Atrial Septal Defect) closure hospitals in India, the complete procedure may cost as low as USD 5000. Depending on other allied complexities, the cost may go up. Similar procedures in the USA or other Western countries may cost upward of USD12,000. 

The estimated costs include: 

• Surgery under general anesthesia 
• Hospital stay 
• Preoperative diagnostic tests 
• Medicine, food, and other consumables during hospital stays 
• Insurance 

For open-heart ASD closure treatments, a patient might require more preoperative and postoperative care. It may involve a hospital stay for a longer duration (an average of 10 days). The cost of performing open heart surgery at the best (ASD) Atrial Septal Defect closure hospitals in India is also higher than catheter-based intervention. 

Bottomline 

The best (ASD) Atrial Septal Defect Closure Hospitals in India are renowned for all types of quality cardiac surgeries at affordable costs. What helps them achieve cost efficiency is strong government support, economies of scale, and the availability of the best (ASD) Atrial Septal Defect Closure doctors in India. This is why international patients traveling to India for ASD closure get top-notch health care at affordable costs, making the best (ASD) Atrial Septal Defect closure hospitals in India some of the most popular globally.