An atrial septal defect (ASD) is a congenital malformation, which results in the failure of the wall between the two upper chambers (atria) of the heart to close completely after birth. If the opening between the atria does not close, blood flow is shunted abnormally from the left atrium into the right atrium. When this happens, the right side of the heart must work harder to pump a larger volume of blood through the lungs, which can lead over time to heart failure, lung disorders, and other complications. Symptoms may not appear until adulthood. ASDs account for approximately 7% of all congenital heart defects, making them the third most common type. The defects are repaired by surgical closure with sutures and a patch or by the introduction of a plug into the defect during cardiac catheterization. For patients who require surgery, usual care is open surgery via a large incision through the breastbone. To improve cosmetic results and reduce hospitalization time, surgeons have developed surgical techniques for closing ASDs through small incisions in the side of the chest; however, these surgeries still result in some pain during recovery. The most recent development in minimally invasive heart surgery is the use of robotic surgical devices that allow the physician to perform surgical ASD closures through smaller incisions with less trauma.