title: Balloon aortic valvoplasty in paediatric patients: progressive aortic regurgitation is common.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate immediate and midterm results after balloon valvoplasty in a paediatric population with congenital aortic stenosis, giving special consideration to aortic regurgitation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two tertiary referral centres for paediatric cardiology.
  
  
  METHODS
  70 consecutive patients, with an age range of 0-16.4 years. Group A infants < 3 months old (n = 21). Group B children > 3 months old (n = 49). Median follow up time was 19.8 months, range 0-158 months.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients underwent balloon aortic valvoplasty. The balloon to annulus ratio was selected at a mean of 0.90 (range 0.67-1.0).
  
  
  METHODS
  Doppler gradients and degree of aortic regurgitation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The pressure gradient dropped significantly with the intervention and increased mildly at follow up. Freedom from relevant aortic regurgitation (that is, moderate and severe) was initially lower in group A (75% v 90% after one month) but after two years the difference between the two groups was not significant (50% v 61%). Freedom from reintervention was significantly lower in group A (with 35% v 80%) after three years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Aortic balloon valvoplasty is safe and effective but has a high rate of early reintervention in infants with critical aortic stenosis. The major long term problem is progressive aortic regurgitation, which does not seem to be prevented by the use of small balloons.
authors.affiliation: Paediatric Cardiology Units of the Children's University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland. christian.balmer@kispi.unizh.ch
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Balmer
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beghetti
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fasnacht
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Friedli
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Arbenz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001022:Aortic Valve Insufficiency / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000151:congenital / Q000628:therapy*; D002404:Catheterization / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016638:Critical Illness; D018450:Disease Progression; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D012008:Recurrence; D019233:Retreatment; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome