Balloon valvuloplasty for critical aortic stenosis in two infants.
Critical aortic valve stenosis (AS) is a difficult clinical condition. Besides supportive medical care, relief of the stenosis is most important to the patients' survival. We present two cases using transcatheter balloon valvuloplasty in managing critical AS in young infants. Case 1 was a 2 month-old female infant. She presented with cardiopulmonary failure. Aortic annulus was 8 mm and the aortic valve was dilated with a 6 mm and then an 8 mm diameter balloon. The pressure gradient was reduced from 83 to 13 mmHg. Case 2 was a 7 day-old male infant. Aortic annulus was 6.7 mm and the aortic valve was dilated with a 6 mm diameter balloon. The pressure gradient was reduced from 87 to 44 mmHg. Both patients tolerated the procedure well. No major complications developed except that a transient weak femoral pulse was noted in case 1. In our limited experience, balloon valvuloplasty is a safe and effective therapeutic choice for managing critical AS in young infants. The advantages include no need of bypass or general anesthesia, shortened hospital course, reduced exposure to blood product, and no scar.
Department of Pediatrics, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, 160, Sec. 3, Chung-Kang Road, Taichung 407, Taiwan.
Ming-Chih
MC
Lin
Yun-Ching
YC
Fu
Sheng-Ling
SL
Jan
Ching-Shiang
CS
Chi
D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000628:therapy*; D002404:Catheterization; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D016896:Treatment Outcome