Objectives: This study was designed to assess the safety, efficacy, medium-term outcome, and complications of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) stenting in duct-dependent pulmonary circulation.
Background: Patent ductus arteriosus stenting has been proposed as an alternative to surgical shunt on account of postoperative morbidity and complications of surgical shunting.
Methods: Between April 2000 and February 2003, 69 patients with duct-dependent pulmonary circulation underwent cardiac catheterization with the intent of PDA stenting as first palliative procedure. Patients with critical pulmonary stenosis and pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum post-radiofrequency valvotomy who had PDA stenting were excluded. Thirteen more patients were excluded because of branch pulmonary artery (PA) stenosis. The follow-up was by clinical examination, echocardiography, and repeat cardiac catheterization at six to nine months following the procedure.
Results: Patent ductus arteriosus stenting was successful in 51 patients (91.1%) and failed in 5 patients (8.9%). The mean narrowest PDA diameter was 1.9 +/- 0.6 mm. The mean procedure and fluoroscopy time were 95.7 min and 29.4 min, respectively. In one patient the stent dislodged and migrated to the left femoral artery and another patient developed transient intravascular hemolysis. There was no procedure-related mortality. Three patients (5.9%) died one day to two months after the procedure. At follow-up (3.2 months to 2.4 years), 8 patients developed significant stent stenosis requiring reintervention. Seven patients developed worsening of preexisting branch PA stenosis. The freedom from reintervention was 89% and 55% at 6 months and 1 year, respectively.
Conclusions: Patent ductus arteriosus stenting is an attractive alternative to surgical shunt in a majority of patients with duct-dependent circulation. An absolute contraindication to this technique is the presence of branch pulmonary stenosis.
Objectives: Our objective was to determine the feasibility and early to medium-term outcome of stenting the patent ductus arteriosus at the time of radiofrequency valvotomy in the subgroup of patients with pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum and intermediate right ventricle.
Background: Stenting of the patent ductus arteriosus and radiofrequency valvotomy have been proposed as the initial intervention for patients with intermediate right ventricle inasmuch as the sustainability for biventricular circulation or 1½-ventricle repair is unclear in the early period.
Methods: Between January 2001 and April 2009, of 143 patients with pulmonary atresia and intact ventricular septum, 37 who had bipartite right ventricle underwent radiofrequency valvotomy and stenting of the patent ductus arteriosus as the initial procedure. The mean tricuspid valve z-score was -3.8 ± 2.2 and the mean tricuspid valve/mitral valve ratio was 0.62 ± 0.16.
Results: Median age was 10 days (3-65 days) and median weight 3.1 kg (2.4-4.9 kg). There was no procedural mortality. Acute stent thrombosis developed in 1 patient and necessitated emergency systemic-pulmonary shunt. There were 2 early in-hospital deaths owing to low cardiac output syndrome. One late death occurred owing to right ventricular failure after the operation. Survival after the initial procedure was 94% at 6 months and 91% at 5 years. At a median follow-up of 4 years (6 months to 8 years), 17 (48%) attained biventricular circulation with or without other interventions and 9 (26%) achieved 1½-ventricle repair. The freedom from reintervention was 80%, 68%, 58%, and 40% at 1, 2, 3, and 4 years, respectively.
Conclusions: Concomitant stenting of the patent ductus arteriosus at the time of radiofrequency valvotomy in patients with pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum and intermediate right ventricle is feasible and safe with encouraging medium-term outcome.