Retraction notice to: Long-term assay of off-pump atrial septal defect closure using vena caval inflow occlusion and minimally invasive approaches in 130 cases

OBJECTIVES: Vena caval inflow occlusion may be applied to a range of lesions within a period of up to 2 min of intracardiac exposure. This procedure for the closure of atrial septal defect (ASD) was investigated in patients for whom transcatheter closure was contraindicated. This article evaluates the long-term complications of this technique for ASD closure. METHODS: Between 2002 and 2010, a total of 130 patients at Imam Reza Hospital (mean age 15 ± 12.71 years) underwent closure of secundum-type ASD, using direct suturing through right anterolateral minithoracotomy and ministernotomy without use of a cardiopulmonary bypass pump. Long-term complications of ASD closure at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after surgery (and then annually) were collated and analysed. SPSS 16 software was used for data analyses, which included both parametric and non-parametric tests. A P value 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Evaluation of consecutive ASD patients, contraindicated for transcatheter closure, undergoing off-pump closure using vena caval inflow occlusion and minimally invasive approaches for ASD indicated low ASD closure times, no long-term presentation of neurological side effects, no mortality and no changes in physical, behavioural or cognitive functions.