Prospective study of percutaneous balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty - immediate results and complications

ABSTRACT

To assess the results and immediate complications of percutaneous balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty at AFIC/NIHD. Quasi experimental study Paediatric cardiology department of Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology and National Institute of Heart Diseases [AFIC-NIHD] Pakistan from 01[st] October 2010 to 31[st] September 2013. This study comprised 143 patients [74 male and 69 female] with pulmonary valve stenosis undergoing percutaneous balloon valvuloplasty. The procedure was classified as successful when the angiographic derived peak to peak pressure gradient [PG]across right ventricular outflow tract was reduced to less than 50% of pre-procedural value, suboptimal if reduction was 25-50% and unsuccessful if PG reduced by less than 25% of its initial value. The mean age of study population was 8.4 +/- 10.3 years and procedure was successful in 133 [93%] cases. Mean PG was reduced from 85.6 +/- 34.4 mmHg to 24.7 +/- 14.5 mmHg [p< 0.001]. Procedure was considered unsuccessful in one case, where PG across right ventricular outflow tract [RVOT] reduced from 70 to 60 mmHg, due to concomitant infundibular bands. In another nine patients, procedure considered suboptimal, as mean PG reduced from 81 +/- 24.1 to 50 +/- 16 mmHg. Among study population, 31 [21.7%] cases were considered as critical pulmonary stenosis. There were two deaths, two non fatal cardiac arrests, one life threatening arrhythmias and minor rhythm problems in five cases, but no cardiac tamponade or emergency cardiac surgery in our study population. Percutaneous balloon valvuloplasty was effective and safe for the treatment of pulmonary valve stenosis with excellent short term results: