title: [Left heart catheterization by the transseptal route].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyse the transseptal catheterization technique, its indications and possible complications.
  
  
  METHODS
  The transseptal catheterization has been undertaken in 233 patients, 202 children (aged 0.1 to 16 years) with congenital heart disease and 31 adults (aged 37 to 73 years) submitted to mitral valvuloplasty. The Mullins technique was employed to access left heart chambers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the pediatric group, the indications for transseptal catheterization were coarctation of the aorta and valvular or subvalvular aortic stenosis. By this technique, multiple diagnostic analysis and therapeutic procedures, such as blade atrioseptostomy and mitral valvuloplasty, became available. Among the complications in the 2 groups, pericardial perforation was the most frequent, depending on the laboratory practice with this technique.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The transseptal cardiac catheterization is a safe and effective technique to investigate hemodynamic data in several congenital heart diseases and is essential to many therapeutic procedures. The technique has a low incidence of complications when employed by experienced teams.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Ramon y Cajal, Madrid, Espanha.
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Christiani
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Cañete
authors.forename: I H
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Sarachaga
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Guillen
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bayon
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vergara
authors.forename: D V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Vargas
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Sanches
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pey
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Maitre
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization / Q000379:methods*; D002404:Catheterization; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D006346:Heart Septum / Q000601:surgery*; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008946:Mitral Valve Stenosis / Q000628:therapy
vernacular_title: Cateterismo cardíaco esquerdo por via transeptal.