title: Balloon atrial septostomy at Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health in the year 2001.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Balloon atrial septostomy (BAS) is a safe and effective palliative procedure for patients with cyanotic congenital heart disease. The first BAS in Thailand was performed in 1987 at our institute and there have been many changes since that time.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the immediate and intermediate outcomes of BAS in the new century.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty patients who underwent BAS from January to December 2001 were included in this study. Epidemiologic data, echocardiographic diagnosis, changing techniques from the previous report and the clinical course for patients were reviewed. The end point of follow-up for this study was December 2002.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty patients underwent BAS from January to December 2001 with an age range from 1 to 213 days (mean 30.40 +/- 41.97 days). BAS was selectively tried via the umbilical vein in 6 cases. This was successful in 4 cases. Others were performed successfully via the femoral vein. The most common diagnoses were complete transposition of the great arteries (TGA), pulmonary atresia (PA) with intact ventricular septumand transposition of the great arteries with ventricular septal defect (TGA, VSD) respectively. No immediate complications were found in the present study. There were 5 deaths prior to surgery and 2 post-operative deaths accounting for a total mortality of 23.3 per cent.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BAS is a safe and effective palliative procedure for patients with various types of cyanotic congenital heart disease even in infants up to 7 months of age. The umbilical venous route can be used effectively without significant problems. Although the overall mortality is high, it is not related to BAS.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Cardiology Unit, Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.
authors.forename: Chaisit
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sangtawesin
authors.forename: Thanarat
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Layangkool
authors.forename: Thawatchai
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kirawitaya
authors.forename: Amornrat
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Petchdamrongsakul
authors.forename: Chanisa
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Intasorn
authors.forename: Puttha
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Noisaeng
authors.forename: Sompun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Glundeema
mesh_terms: D002404:Catheterization / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000601:surgery*; D006346:Heart Septum / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010166:Palliative Care; D016896:Treatment Outcome