title: Critical pulmonary valve stenosis in patients less than 1 year of age: treatment with percutaneous gradational balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty.
abstract: A new technique of percutaneous gradational balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty was used successfully in 17 infants less than 1 year of age, including four neonates, with critical congenital pulmonary valve stenosis, who would otherwise have required surgical intervention. This technique uses a sequential series of balloon catheters of gradually increasing size as a means of eventually crossing the very small valve orifice with a balloon catheter of adequate size to achieve successful pulmonary valvuloplasty. The initial dilatations were achieved with balloon catheters 2, 3, or 4 mm in diameter. Immediately after successful balloon valvuloplasty, the mean pulmonary systolic pressure gradient was reduced from 105 +/- 11 to 20 +/- 5 mm Hg. Percutaneous balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty can be performed safely with good results despite critical congenital pulmonary valve obstruction in severely ill infants.
authors.affiliation: Riyadh Cardiac Centre, Armed Forces Hospital, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ali Khan
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: al-Yousef
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Huhta
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Bricker
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Mullins
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sawyer
mesh_terms: D002404:Catheterization / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011666:Pulmonary Valve Stenosis / Q000151:congenital / Q000628:therapy*