Is atrial septal aneurysm serious?

This is known as an atrial septal aneurysm (ASA). An ASA keeps the heart from working properly and from pumping blood that returns to the right atria to pick up oxygen back out to the body. The condition is one possible cause of stroke, a potentially life-threatening blockage of blood flowing to the brain.

Is atrial septal aneurysm normal?

Atrial septal aneurysm is rare (ASA) and is most often an accidental finding. However it could be a contributing factor to cardioembolic stroke even though no thrombus in aneurysm or left atrium can be seen in transthoracic echo. Patient was started on anticoagulants and rate control for atrial fibrillation.

Is atrial septal aneurysm a heart condition?

An atrial septal aneurysm (ASA) is a rare but well-recognized cardiac abnormality of uncertain clinical significance. ASA has been reported as an unexpected finding during autopsy1 but may also be diagnosed in living patients by echocardiographic techniques.

How does atrial septal aneurysm cause stroke?

[7] The mechanism of stroke in patients with ASA remains poorly understood. [8] Cerebral embolism might result from paradoxical embolism of venous thrombi across a right to left shunt, passage of a thrombus created on the left atrial side of the aneurysm with atrial fibrillation.

Where is an atrial septal aneurysm?

An atrial septal aneurysm (ASA) is a rare but well recognized and localized saccular deformity of the atrial septum that bulges into the right or left atrium with uncertain clinical significance.

What is a septal aneurysm?

An atrial septal aneurysm (ASA) is a congenital malformation of the atrial septum characterized by bulging of the septum overlying the fossa ovalis region into either atrium. The prevalence of ASA varies according to the diagnostic method used and to the type of population studied.

How common is interatrial septal aneurysm?

[1] The widespread availability of transthoracic and transoesophageal echocardiography has identified atrial septum aneurysm with increasing frequency. [5] The frequency of the anomaly in the general adult population is low (2.2%).

What causes interatrial septal aneurysm?

An aneurysm of the interatrial septum is an infrequent finding in adult patients. Atrial septal aneurysm is a congenital malformation of the septum primum layer of the interatrial septum but differences between interatrial pressure forces have also been reported as a cause of its development.