title: Balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty in infants and children: technique and immediate result.
abstract: Between 1986 and Feb. 1993, 20 patients with moderately severe isolated pulmonary stenosis underwent cardiac catheterization and balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty (BPV). Their ages ranged from 7 months to 11 years old (mean 6.2 years), their weights ranged from 8 to 45 kg (mean 14.5 kg). Immediately after BPV, the right ventricular pressure decreased from 89 +/- 21 to 46 +/- 16 mmHg (p < 0.005). The pressure gradient across the pulmonary valve reduced by 68%, from 68 +/- 23 to 24 +/- 16 mmHg (p < 0.005). There was no significant changes in both pulmonary artery pressure (19 +/- 4 versus 21 +/- 3 mmHg), and aortic pressure (102 +/- 11 versus 104 +/- 11 mmHg). Successful BPV (pulmonic pressure gradient < 36 mmHg) was achieved in 15 cases (75%). Among the 5 unsuccessful cases, 2 patients underwent redilatation which had excellent results. Another 2 patients received operations, one was a dysplastic pulmonary valve, the other was due to a gradient across the pulmonary valve > 120 mmHg before BPV. The remaining one had only 40 mmHg gradient after BPV, and he was doing well on follow-up. There were no significant complications in these series. BPV is an effective and safe procedure. It should be the treatment of choice for significant pulmonary stenosis in infants and children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Kaohsiung Medical College, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: T Y
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Z K
authors.initials: ZK
authors.lastname: Dai
mesh_terms: D002404:Catheterization / Q000379:methods; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011666:Pulmonary Valve Stenosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D011669:Pulmonary Wedge Pressure; D017725:Ventricular Pressure