title: Reopening acutely occluded cavopulmonary connections in infants and children.
abstract: Little is known about the outcome of acute thrombotic occlusion of segments of the cavopulmonary connections (CPC) in infants and children with univentricular hearts. Early recognition and aggressive therapy may result in successful salvage of some of these patients. Five consecutive patients (age range 4-8 months) presenting with acute occlusion of a CPC segment underwent emergency cardiac catheterization. After angiographic confirmation, the occluded segment was crossed using an endhole catheter and guidewire combination. Serial balloon dilation and stent implantation (ten stents in total) were undertaken to recanalize the occlusion. The stents used were mounted on balloons ranging in diameter from 6 mm to 8 mm, depending on the size of the native vessel. The sites of occlusion were the left pulmonary artery (n=4), and the left-sided superior caval vein (n=3). All occlusions could be successfully recanalized. In three patients, early reocclusion necessitated either surgery or repeat catheterization and angioplasty. There were two early deaths, due to recurrent thrombotic obstruction confirmed either at autopsy or angiography. The remaining patients are alive and well; the majority of survivors have undergone completion of the Fontan operation. A high index of clinical suspicion combined with aggressive therapy can result in successful recanalization in some infants with acutely occluded CPC segments, with acceptable long-term outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Heart Center, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany. N.Sreeram@uni-koeln.de
authors.forename: Narayanswami
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sreeram
authors.forename: Mathias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Emmel
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Trieschmann
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kruessell
authors.forename: Konrad
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Brockmeier
authors.forename: Lotfi Ben
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Mime
authors.forename: Gerardus
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bennink
mesh_terms: D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D002315:Cardiopulmonary Bypass; D002404:Catheterization / Q000295:instrumentation; D018610:Heart Bypass, Right / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000601:surgery*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D010690:Phlebography; D012008:Recurrence; D012086:Reoperation; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D015607:Stents; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants