Patient and Family Services

Children's Heart Center at Strong

Did You Know… Dr. Daniel Miga, M.D., director of pediatric interventional cardiology at Golisano Children’s Hospital at Strong, is one of only two doctors in upstate New York offering these Amplatzer procedures.

Tests and Procedures - Amplatzer Procedure

The AMPLATZER occlusion devices are designed to occlude, or "close," certain types of heart defects. These defects include Atrial Septal Defect (ASD), Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA) and Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO). These devices offer an alternative to invasive surgical procedures.

Amplatzer® Septal Occluder is FDA approved for transcatheter closure of secundum atrial septal defects and fenestrations after Fontan operations. It is a specialized device woven from specially heat-treated nickel-titanium wires. This alloy is extremely flexible, resistant to corrosion and fatigue-resistant. Another important property of this alloy is its super-elasticity. In order to increase its closing ability, the discs are filled with polyester fabric. An Amplatzer® device can be compressed into a tiny tube for delivery. When the doctor releases it at the end of the tube, it springs open, returning to its original shape. As the device expands outward, it clamps the defect.

Amplatzer® Duct Occluder is FDA approved for transcatheter closure of a patent ductus arteriosus. This device is made from the same nickel-titanium wires and polyester fabric.

Amplatzer® PFO Occluder is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration under the Humanitarian Device Exemption (HDE) regulations. It is indicated for non-surgical closure of a patent foramen ovale (PFO) in patients with recurrent cryptogenic stroke due to presumed paradoxical embolism through a PFO and who have failed conventional drug therapy.