title: Remote control of pulmonary blood flow: a dream comes true.
abstract: The indication for pulmonary artery banding is currently limited by several factors. Previous attempts have failed to produce adjustable pulmonary artery banding with reliable external regulation. An implantable, telemetrically controlled, battery-free device (FloWatch) developed by EndoArt SA, a medical company established in Lausanne, Switzerland, for externally adjustable pulmonary artery banding was evaluated on minipigs and proved to be effective for up to 6 months. The first human implant was performed on a girl with complete atrioventricular septal defect with unbalanced ventricles, large patent ductus arteriosus and pulmonary hypertension. At one month of age she underwent closure of the patent ductus arteriosus and FloWatch implantation around the pulmonary artery through conventional left thoracotomy. The surgical procedure was rapid and uneventful. During the entire postoperative period bedside adjustments (narrowing or release of pulmonary artery banding with echocardiographic assessment) were repeatedly required to maintain an adequate pressure gradient. The early clinical results demonstrated the clinical benefits of unlimited external telemetric adjustments. The next step will be a multi-centre clinical trial to confirm the early results and adapt therapeutic strategies to this promising technology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland. Antoni.Corno@chuv.hospvd.ch
authors.forename: Antonio F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Corno
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sekarski
authors.forename: Ludwig K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: von Segesser
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D011652:Pulmonary Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D012371:Robotics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013552:Swine