Technologically, advances in both transcatheter and surgical techniques have been continuing in the past 20 years, but an updated comprehensive comparison in device-based versus surgery in adults in terms of incidence of in-hospital mortality, perioperative stroke, and atrial fibrillation onset is still lacking. We investigate the performance of transcatheter device-based closure compared to surgical techniques by a systematic review and meta-analysis of the last 20 years literature data.

The analysis was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. Literature search was performed based on Cochrane Library, Embase, PubMed, and Google Scholar to locate articles published between January 2000 and October 2020, regarding the comparison between short-term outcome and post-procedural complications of atrial septal defect patients receiving transcatheter or surgical closure. The primary outcome was the comparison of in-hospital mortality from all causes between patients treated with transcatheter closure or cardiac. Secondary outcomes were the onset of post-procedural atrial fibrillation or perioperative stroke.

A total of 2360 patients were included of which 1393 [mean age 47.6 years, 952 females (68.3%)] and 967 [mean age 40.3 years, 693 females (71.6%)] received a transcatheter device-based and surgery closure, respectively. In-hospital mortality [OR 0.16 (95% CI (0.66−0.44)), p = 0.0003, I2 = 0%], perioperative stroke [OR 0.51 (95% CI (0.31−0.84)), p = 0.003, I2 = 79%], and post-procedural atrial fibrillation [OR 0.14 (95% CI (0.03−0.61)), p = 0.009, I2 = 0%] significantly favoured transcatheter device-based closure

Transcatheter atrial septal defect closure resulted safer in terms of in-hospital mortality, perioperative stroke, and post-procedural atrial fibrillation compared to traditional surgery.