title: Transcatheter closure of patent ductus arteriosus using the amplatzer duct occluder in infants under one year of age.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Percutaneous closure of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is a well-established technique. We evaluated the usefulness of the Amplatzer duct occluder for the percutaneous closure of patent ductus arteriosus in 29 children under 1 year of age.
  
  
  METHODS
  The patients' mean age was 8.9±2.8 months and their mean weight was 6.4±1.5kg. In addition, 24.1% of patients were aged 6 months or less and 17.2% weighed 5kg or less. All completed follow-up (0.5-36 months).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The minimum PDA diameter was 3.16±1.24 mm. The device was implanted successfully in 26 patients (89.6%). Failures were due to either the device migrating to the descending aorta, persistent moderate leakage, or to difficulty in the advancement of the device. No deaths were associated with the procedure. Three major complications occurred in two patients (10.3%). Aortography showed initial total occlusion in 65.5% of patients. At 3-month follow-up, total occlusion was observed in 96.1% of patients. Ultimately, closure was achieved successfully in 25 of the 29 patients (86.2%). During follow-up, four patients exhibited mild left pulmonary artery stenosis and one exhibited mild stenosis of the descending aorta.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In children under 1 year of age, percutaneous closure of patent ductus arteriosus using an Amplatzer occluder was a safe and effective procedure. It is possible that improvements in the design of the occluder could decrease the complication rate.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Cardiología Pediátrica. Hospital de Pediatría. Centro Médico Nacional. Siglo XXI. Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social. México DF. México. Electronic address: rafaelparrabravo@yahoo.com.mx.
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Parra-Bravo
authors.forename: Arturo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cruz-Ramírez
authors.forename: Víctor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rebolledo-Pineda
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Robles-Cervantes
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chávez-Fernández
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Beirana-Palencia
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jiménez-Montufar
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Jesús Estrada-Loza
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Estrada-Flores
authors.forename: Nelson
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Báez-Zamudio
authors.forename: Mariano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Escobar-Ponce