Background: The aim of this multicenter prospective study was to evaluate the safety, efficacy,
procedural success, and short-term results of transcatheter closure of secundum type
atrial septal defect (ASD), patent foramen ovale (PFO) and patent ductus arteriosus
(PDA) with Lifetech CeraFlexTM occluders.
Method: A total of 120 pediatric and adult patients were prospectively enrolled in 7 centers
as an intention-to-treat (ITT) cohort for transcatheter closure of ASD, PFO, or PDA
with the CeraFlexTM occluders during November 2015 to January 2019. Of these, 117/120
(97.5%) were further evaluated in an attempted treatment (AT) cohort. Primary endpoints
were successful deployment and procedural success, defined as a composite of: absence
of periprocedural stroke/TIA, device embolization, cardiac or vascular perforation
or death. Secondary endpoints were the rate of device- or procedure-related adverse
and serious adverse events (AEs, SAEs), residual shunt at discharge and during follow-up,
and, the probability of freedom from re-hospitalization during midterm follow-up period
of 12 months.
Results: A total of 117 patients in the AT cohort were scheduled for transcatheter closure
of ASD (n = 55), PFO (n = 45), and PDA (n = 17) using CeraFlex occluders. Successful deployment of the occluder device could
be achieved in 51/55 (93%) ASD patients, in 43/45 (95.6%) PFO patients, and in 10/17
(58.8%) PDA patients. Twelve-month FU was achieved in the following groups: ASD (40/55)
73%, PFO 37/47 (79%), and PDA 8/17 (47%). Closure rate at 12 months was high in all
groups: ASD 95%, PFO 97.6%, and PDA 100%. No mortality occurred during the procedure
or during documented follow-up in either patient group during 12-month FU. SAEs were
reported in 2/51 (3.9%) ASD patients, in 2/45 (4.4%) PFO patients, and in no PDA patient;
all SAEs were resolved by adequate medical treatment. During FU, significant residual
shunt (>mild) was only seen in 2/41 (4.8%) after ASD closure, 1 patient after PFO
closure, and none after PDA closure. The probability of freedom from re-hospitalization
at 12 months was 92% after ASD closure, 93.3% after PFO closure, and 100% after PDA
closure.
Conclusion: This study confirmed the safety and the efficacy of the CeraFlex occluder devices
in patients with ASD, PFO and PDA. While procedural success and closure rates were
excellent for the ASD and PFO occluders, results were limited due to the lower number
for implanted PDA occluder. According to the current problems of EU Medical Device
Regulation, it is important to share clinical data and experience for especially pediatric
cardiac intervention.