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URL of this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/imagepages/18119.htm
Atrial septal defect
Overview
An atrial septal defect is a congenital heart defect where the wall between the right and left atria does not close properly, leaving a hole between the two atria.
Review Date 1/27/2026
Updated by: Thomas S. Metkus MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Medicine and Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.