Guidance
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has issued full guidance to the NHS in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland on transcatheter endovascular closure of perimembranous ventricular septal defect.
It replaces the previous guidance on Endovascular closure of perimembranous ventricular septal defect (NICE interventional procedures guidance 172, May 2006).
Description
Ventricular septal defect (sometimes shortened to VSD) is one or more holes in the partition called the septum that separates the left and right ventricles, which are the two lower chambers of the heart. This defect is the most common heart defect that is present when babies are born (congenital) but it is not known what causes it. A ventricular septal defect lets blood leak back from the left ventricle to the right ventricle.
Endovascular closure of a perimembranous ventricular septal defect involves inserting a small blocking device (called an occluder) into the heart. This is inserted via a blood vessel so that there is no need for open heart surgery. A fine wire is put into a blood vessel at the top of the leg and a second wire into either a different blood vessel at the top of the leg or in the neck. These two wires are used to form a loop, which passes through the heart via the defect. The blocking device is moved along the loop into place to block the hole.
Coding and clinical classification codes for this guidance.