Livia Kapusta

New
39 years of experience
Location: Israel, Tel Aviv
Clinic:
4.5
Sourasky Medical Center (Ichilov)
Dr. Livia Kapusta specializes in pediatric cardiology, focusing on congenital heart conditions at Sourasky Medical Center (Ichilov).
- Trained at Tel-Aviv University and Radboud University Nijmegen
- Performs procedures like PDA Closure and Balloon Atrial Septostomy
- Treats conditions including Atrial Septal Defect and Patent Foramen Ovale
- Manages cardiac emergencies and arrhythmia treatments
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Bookimed Insights: Top Atrial septal defect Specialists in Israel (2026)

Bookimed has coordinated 1 requests for Atrial septal defect treatment in Israel, collaborating with 1 top-rated specialists. The doctors in this table are selected based on their international credentials, clinical expertise, and patient outcomes. The 2026 ranking is formed using verified data from actual patient cases and current programs from our partner clinics.

Rank	Doctor	experience	Good Fit For	What Sets Them Apart	Clinic & Location	Consultation
#1	Livia Kapusta	39 years of experience	Pediatric congenital heart conditions	Specializes in pediatric cardiology with advanced training from top institutions. Performs complex procedures like Balloon Atrial Septostomy.	Sourasky Medical Center (Ichilov) Israel	Price on request

FAQ

These FAQs come from real patients seeking medical assistance through Bookimed. Answers are given by experienced medical coordinators and trusted clinic representatives.

What is an atrial septal defect, and how does it affect the body?

An atrial septal defect is a congenital hole in the wall separating the heart chambers. This opening allows oxygen-rich blood to leak into oxygen-poor regions. It forces the right heart side to work harder. This process increases blood pressure within the lung vessels over time.

Heart strain: Extra blood volume causes the right atrium and ventricle to stretch.
Lung vascularity: Increased flow can lead to permanent damage in pulmonary arteries.
Physical symptoms: Patients often experience shortness of breath, fatigue, or heart palpitations.
Stroke risk: Blood clots can bypass lung filtration and travel directly to the brain.

Bookimed Expert Insight: Israeli cardiology centers manage massive patient volumes, with Hadassah Medical Center treating 1,000,000 patients annually. Large-scale data from clinics like Sourasky, which performs 34,000 surgeries yearly, suggests that high-volume centers provide more precise diagnostics. Experts like Dr. David Mishaali utilize specialized minimally invasive reconstructions to resolve these defects safely. Choosing a center with university affiliations often ensures access to the latest digital imaging and robotic assistance.

Patient Consensus: Many adults discover this condition incidentally during tests for unexplained fatigue or heart flutters. Parents observe that children might not show clear distress but may struggle with weight gain or frequent lung infections.

What are the risks of leaving an ASD untreated?

Leaving a moderate-to-large atrial septal defect (ASD) untreated causes chronic volume overload in the right heart chambers. This leads to serious cardiovascular complications by adulthood. Primary risks include pulmonary hypertension, right-sided heart failure, and atrial fibrillation. It also significantly increases ischemic stroke risk.

Pulmonary hypertension: Increased blood flow damages lung vessels and raises arterial pressure.
Heart failure: Constant volume overload stretches and weakens the right ventricle.
Atrial arrhythmias: Stretched heart tissue disrupts electrical signals, causing irregular rhythms.
Stroke risk: Blood clots can pass through the hole directly to the brain.

Bookimed Expert Insight: Israeli specialists like Dr. Livia Kapusta at Sourasky Medical Center emphasize early detection through advanced imaging. Data shows closing defects before age 40 helps prevent permanent pulmonary damage. Large centers like Hadassah serve over 1,000,000 patients, offering extensive experience in identifying subtle volume overload. Specialists recommend closure for moderate-to-large defects even if you feel fine now.

Patient Consensus: Patients note that signs like fatigue and breathlessness often feel like normal aging. Many wish they had realized sooner that chronic exhaustion was actually heart strain.

What surgical approaches do Israeli hospitals use to close an ASD?

Israeli hospitals perform atrial septal defect closure using transcatheter intervention, minimally invasive cardiac surgery, or conventional open-heart surgery. Selection depends on defect size and location. Surgeons utilize specialized mesh plugs for 95% to 97% success rates in secundum defects within JCI-accredited facilities.

Transcatheter closure: Groin-based catheter deploys mesh plugs like Amplatzer for secundum defects.
Minimally invasive surgery: Right mini-thoracotomy or trans-axillary incisions avoid splitting the breastbone.
Traditional sternotomy: Median incision required for complex primum or sinus venosus defects.
Advanced diagnostics: Transesophageal echocardiograms and cardiac CT scans guide the surgical approach.

Bookimed Expert Insight: Israeli pediatric centers show a high degree of specialization in minimally invasive techniques. Dr. David Mishaali at Sheba Medical Center has developed unique surgical approaches to reduce physical trauma. This expertise allows complex reconstruction in infants while minimizing large scars often seen in traditional surgery. At centers like Sourasky, Dr. Livia Kapusta uses intravascular ultrasound to ensure precise device placement during non-surgical repairs.

Patient Consensus: Patients find that device-based closures allow for a quick return home within 48 hours. Those requiring open surgery emphasize prioritizing hospitals with high surgical volumes to ensure smoother recovery and better scar management.

Who are the leading specialists for ASD treatment in Israel?

Israel leading specialists for Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) include Dr. Livia Kapusta and Dr. David Mishaali. They operate in JCI-accredited centers like Sourasky and Sheba. These experts specialize in percutaneous catheter-based closures and minimally invasive surgical repairs for congenital heart conditions.

Dr. Livia Kapusta: Pediatric cardiologist at Sourasky Medical Center specializing in catheter-based ASD closures.
Dr. David Mishaali: Director at Sheba Medical Center specializing in minimally invasive congenital surgery.
Dr. Moni Shuvi: Interventional cardiologist at Hadassah Medical Center expert in complex valvular procedures.
Accreditation: Israeli hospitals like Sourasky and Hadassah maintain Joint Commission International certification.

Bookimed Expert Insight: Israeli pediatric cardiac surgery is concentrated in high-volume university centers like Sourasky and Hadassah. Sourasky alone performs over 34,000 operations annually. This high procedural volume is a strong indicator of clinical safety and predictable patient outcomes. You should look for centers with hybrid catheterization labs where surgeons and interventionalists work together.

Patient Consensus: Parents find that smaller defects under 5mm often close on their own. It is vital to confirm the defect size before choosing intervention. Many families note that checking the surgical team volume is more important than individual names. Monitoring for rhythm changes after the procedure is a key part of the recovery process.

What is the typical recovery timeline for patients in Israel?

Recovery after atrial septal defect (ASD) treatment in Israel typically involves a hospital stay of 1 to 5 days. Patients undergoing transcatheter closure often resume light activities within 48 hours. Heart surgeons in JCI-accredited facilities like Sourasky Medical Center utilize minimally invasive techniques to accelerate healing.

Acute inpatient stay: Most cardiac patients are discharged within 4 to 5 days of surgery.
Transcatheter closure recovery: Patients often return to work or school within 3 to 7 days.
Surgical repair timeline: Open-heart surgery requires 4 to 6 weeks for standard activity levels.
Full exertion window: Surgeons usually cleared strenuous sports after a 4 to 6 week echocardiogram.

Bookimed Expert Insight: Israeli centers like Hadassah and Sourasky prioritize rapid discharge, often within 24 hours for catheter procedures. This efficiency stems from a high national hospital occupancy rate of 94%. We see regional leaders like Dr. David Mishaali successfully applying minimally invasive methods that significantly reduce post-operative fatigue compared to traditional surgery.

Patient Consensus: Patients often report a surprising dip in energy or mood during the first month. Many note that avoiding heavy lifting for 30 days is vital to prevent bruising at the catheter site.

Does every atrial septal defect require surgical closure?

Not every atrial septal defect requires surgery. Small defects under 5 millimeters often close naturally. Specialists typically monitor these with regular echocardiograms. Treatment is only necessary if the hole causes heart strain, symptoms, or fails to close by early childhood.

Watchful waiting: Small holes often close without intervention before age 4.
Catheter closure: Doctors use mesh devices for secundum defects without open surgery.
Surgical triggers: Surgery is reserved for large holes or complex structural types.
Heart monitoring: Annual checks ensure no right-side heart enlargement or lung damage.

Bookimed Expert Insight: Israeli centers like Sourasky Medical Center and Hadassah manage over 1,000,000 patients annually. This high volume allows pediatric cardiologists like Dr. Livia Kapusta to favor conservative monitoring for small defects. Data shows Israeli specialists prioritize minimally invasive catheter-based closure over traditional surgery whenever anatomical borders allow.

Patient Consensus: Patients emphasize the value of getting serial echocardiograms to track the defect size over time. Many note that asymptomatic small holes can remain stable for decades without needing any intervention.

Best Atrial septal defect doctors in Tel Aviv: TOP 1 doctor

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