Multicenter midterm follow-up results using the gore septal occluder for atrial septal defect closure in pediatric patients. 
To assess the safety and efficacy of the Gore Septal Occluder (GSO) used for device-closure of significant secundum-type atrial septal defects (ASD II) focusing on pediatric patients.  The GSO is a patch-like double disc device.  Due to its design, it is assumed to be safe, even when implanted in ASDs with deficient retro-aortic rims.  Multicenter retrospective analysis of consecutive children and adolescents with a GSO in situ for at least 12 months according to a 1- to 4-year midterm follow-up.  Hundred and seventy three pediatric patients were enrolled.  At implantation, median age was 6 years (range 0.7-17.9), median body weight and length were 21 kg (6.4-95) and 119 cm (65-193).  Median follow-up period was 20 months (range 12-51).  ASD anatomy was comprised of single defects in 131 patients (76%), multi-fenestrated defects in 42 (24%), and deficient retro-aortic rims in 33 (19%).  Follow-up confirmed an overall closure-rate of 95.4%.  Small residual shunts were reported in eight patients (4.6%) without need for any re-intervention.  Complications were classified as minor events both during the initial procedure (9 patients, 5.2%) and on follow-up (another 9 patients), including transient AV block II in three patients (1.8%) and four snare-retrievals (2.4%) during the initial procedure.  Periprocedural and midterm follow-up data have shown the GSO to be effective and safe for ASD device closure in children and adolescents.  GSO may be considered the first-choice device in deficient retro-aortic rims and multi-fenestrated defects, when covering most of the atrial septum is necessary.  © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.