ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Describe a mechanical method of perforation-dilatation of the pulmonary valve in pulmonary atresia with intact interventricular septum (PA-IVS), with or without stenting the patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) and medium-term results. METHOD: Since 2007, all patients with PA-IVS and a right ventricle adequate for biventricular repair, benefited from a transcatheter attempt to perforate-dilate the valve with or without stenting the PDA, and were included in this retrospective study. TECHNIQUE: A catheter was percutaneously introduced through the femoral vein and positionned in front of the atretic pulmonary valve. A lasso catheter was introduced through the femoral artery to the other side of the pulmonary valve. The tip of a rigid guidewire was then pushed through the atretic valve and taken with the lasso, creating a loop that allowed for balloon valvuloplasty. If the child remained ductal dependant following PGE1 withdrawal, a stent is placed in the ductus arteriosus. RESULTS: Five patients were included in this series. Four patients were successfully dilated, and two patients necessitated stents. The procedure had to be interrupted in one patient. FOLLOW-UP: One patient with a patent stent was operated at the age of one year and died in the postoperative period. The other patient with a stent is now 16 months old with a patent stent and an oxygen saturation of 98%. The two remaining patients without stent are now 3- and 18-month-old with oxygen saturation of 85% and 96% respectively. CONCLUSION: The percutaneous treatment of PA-IVS is feasible and avoids early high risk surgery. Stenting the ductus arteriosus may replace a Blalock shunt. However, the prognosis is still related to the severity of the anomaly.
