Shed Atrial Septal Occluder Removed by Gastric Biopsy Forceps: A Case Report

Atrial septal defect (ASD) is a common congenital heart disease, and can be treated with occluders. However, occluder detachment remains one of the most urgent complications to be resolved. This paper reported a case of ASD occluder detachment, which was successfully resolved with gastroscopic biopsy forceps. A 57-year-old woman complained chest distress for over one week, and was admitted to cardiovascular department of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital. Based on echocardiography, the patient was diagnosed as ASD, mitral and tricuspid valve regurgitation. On the second day after percutaneous closure of residual ASD, routine chest radiographs showed the occluder detached into the abdominal aorta. After a thorough evaluation and examination, we decided to use gastric biopsy forceps to remove occluder. As a result, the patient recovered well and discharged from the hospital. For postoperative patients with ASD, when occlusion devices detached and conventional strategies could not extract the occluders, gastric biopsy forceps would be appliable. Compared to conventional strategies, gastric biopsy forceps have better grasping force, and provide secure fixing for disconnected or detached occlusion devices in cardiac interventional surgeries.