First experience with AndraStent XL implantation in children and adolescents with congenital heart diseases.
OBJECTIVE
To present our experience with a new type of extra-large (dilatable up to 25 mm), balloon-expandable, nonpremounted, cobalt-chromium peripheral stent with semiopen designed cells: AndraStent.


METHODS
Between December 2008 and August 2011, 21 AndraStents in 21 patients were implanted into vessel stenoses of varied localizations. AndraStents XL of 21, 30, and 39 mm in length were used. The median age and weight of patients at stent implantation were 11.6 years (range 2.1-19.1 years) and 36 kg (range 11-82 kg), respectively. The stent was implanted into the left pulmonary artery stenosis (n = 12), into the aortic isthmus (n = 7), into a stenosed aortopulmonary collateral artery (n = 1) and into a stenosed systemic venous tunnel postSenning operation (n = 1).


RESULTS
All the implantations were successfully performed; there was one major vessel access complication necessitating vascular surgery. The diameter of the vessel stenosis increased significantly (P < 0.05) from a median of 5.7-11 mm. The stent foreshortening was only mild.


CONCLUSIONS
Our initial results show that AndraStents are implantable and efficacious in different vascular stenoses and present a valuable alternative to the available large stents. With the application of a modified front-loading technique, they can also be implanted in smaller children.
Department of Functional Diagnostics, National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Children's Cardiac Center, Limbova 1, 833 51 Bratislava, Slovak Republic. suzanne@venczel.net
Zuzana
Z
Venczelova
Peter
P
Tittel
Jozef
J
Masura
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D001017:Aortic Coarctation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy*; D006345:Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D018636:Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D011651:Pulmonary Artery; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D015607:Stents; D015996:Survival Rate; D013771:Tetralogy of Fallot / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055815:Young Adult