A new technique of percutaneously adjustable pulmonary artery banding.
OBJECTIVE
Pulmonary artery banding is associated with a high morbidity and mortality. We describe a new technique of adjustable pulmonary artery banding to prevent these problems.


METHODS
Between December 2003 and May 2005, 32 patients aged 18 days to 2 years (mean age, 2.5 +/- 0.5 months) and weighing 2.1 to 6.3 kg (mean, 3.6 +/- 1.3 kg) underwent adjustable pulmonary artery banding.


RESULTS
All patients survived the operation. There were 2 deaths, one caused by meningitis and another caused by aspiration pneumonitis. Satisfactory band gradients were achieved between 3 and 10 days (7.2 +/- 2.6 days) in 3 to 6 sittings. Mean follow-up was 7.5 +/- 3.8 months (1-16 months). One patient required reoperation for unsatisfactory band gradient 2 weeks after discharge. There were no late deaths. Follow-up computed tomographic angiograms (n = 4) demonstrated proper band placement and ruled out distortion of the pulmonary arteries. Four patients underwent uneventful definitive operations after an interval of 7 to 13 months.


CONCLUSIONS
This technique of percutaneously adjustable pulmonary artery banding is simple and inexpensive and allows easy band adjustments without the need for multiple reoperations.
Choudhary
Shiv Kumar
SK
Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Cardiothoracic Centre, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India. shivchoudhary@hotmail.com
Talwar
Sachin
S
Airan
Balram
B
Mohapatra
Raghunath
R
Juneja
Rajnish
R
Kothari
Shyam Sunder
SS
Saxena
Anita
A
Venugopal
Panangipalli
P
D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011651:Pulmonary Artery