Critical pulmonary valve stenosis in patients less than 1 year of age: treatment with percutaneous gradational balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty.
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.
Ali Khan
M A
MA
Riyadh Cardiac Centre, Armed Forces Hospital, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
al-Yousef
S
S
Huhta
J C
JC
Bricker
J T
JT
Mullins
C E
CE
Sawyer
W
W
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*