[Echocardiographic findings before and after interventional occlusion of persistently patent ductus arteriosus with the amplatzer duct occluder].
OBJECTIVE
The Amplatzer duct occluder(R) is a new system for interventional occlusion of persistently patent ductus arteriosus. The purpose of our study was to determine, whether adequate evaluation of this occluder system can be obtained by echocardiography.


METHODS
From 11/1999 until 12/2000, 18 patients were included in the study. All underwent interventional occlusion of a patent ductus arteriosus with the Amplatzer duct occluder(R). Echocardiography was performed on admission, on day one and three and six months following the intervention.


RESULTS
The mean age of our patients was 4.8 years (9 months - 18.7 years, median 3.2 years), the mean weight was 18.4 kg (6.5 - 66 kg, median 14 kg). All echocardiographic findings prior to intervention were confirmed during cardiac catheterization. Following intervention we were able to visualize the occluder system and its relation to surrounding structures in all patients. In none of our patients we found an obstruction of the left pulmonary artery. In 1/18 patients there was a minor protrusion of the distal occluder into the descending aorta. Doppler-sonography however revealed no obstruction. Complete occlusion of the ductus arteriosus was confirmed by color Doppler echocardiography in all patients within 5 days, in 17/18 patients no residual shunt was detectable within 24 hours.


CONCLUSIONS
According to our experience the results of interventional occlusion of patent ductus arteriosus in children and adolescents can be well determined by echocardiography.
Rauch
R
R
Kinderklinik der Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen, Abteilung für Kinderkardiologie, Germany.
Koch
A
A
Buheitel
G
G
Kumpf
M
M
Sieverding
L
L
Breuer
J
J
Singer
H
H
Hofbeck
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004374:Ductus Arteriosus, Patent / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy; D004452:Echocardiography; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D011651:Pulmonary Artery; D016896:Treatment Outcome