[Percutaneous pulmonary valvuloplasty at the cardiovascular center of the Universidad de Los Andes].
OBJECTIVE
To compare balloon valvuloplasty and surgical valvulotomy in the management of pulmonary valvar stenosis.


METHODS
Balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty was performed in 10 consecutive patients, 6 girls and 4 boys, age ranges 3 to 19 years (mean 11), between April 1987 to November 1988.


RESULTS
Immediate hemodynamic and angiographic changes consisted in reduction of the peak transvalvular gradient from 93 +/- 42 mmHg to 39 +/- 26 (p less than 0.01), the right ventricular systolic pressure from 108 +/- 16 mmHg to 58 +/- 27 mmHg (p less than 0.01) and in increasing of the pulmonary valve diameter from 9.59 +/- 3.28 mm to 19.55 +/- 6.16 mm (p less than 0.01) and the systolic pulmonary artery pressure from 15.15 +/- 3.28 mmHg to 18.4 +/- 6 (NS). No relationship between right ventricular systolic pressure and transpulmonary valvular gradient could be found. We only observed one case of mild pulmonary insufficiency as a complication of the procedure. The intermediate follow up (7 to 14 months), in 4 of 10 patients showed maintenance of the initial finding.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of the percutaneous pulmonary valve valvuloplasty are as good as those obtained by the surgical valvulotomy.
Barboza
J S
JS
Centro Cardiovascular, Universidad de Los Andes, Merida, Venezuela.
Inglessis
G
G
Donis
J
J
Carrasco
H
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002404:Catheterization; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D011666:Pulmonary Valve Stenosis / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D014687:Venezuela
Valvuloplastia pulmonar percutánea en el Centro Cardiovascular de la Universidad de Los Andes.