BACKGROUND: The percutaneous approach is the therapy of choice in neonates with critical pulmonary stenosis (PS) and pulmonary atresia with intact interventricular septum (PAIVS). Consecutive cases treated at a reference center and their midterm follow-up was reported in this study. METHODS: Most of the patients received an intravenous infusion of prostaglandin preoperatively, regardless of the need. For the PAIVS approach, a stiff-tip guidewire was used and more recently, radiofrequency valvotomy. In most cases, sequential balloon dilation was performed until 110% to 120% of the pulmonary valve ring diameter was reached. RESULTS: Between 1998 and 2011, 17 neonates with PAIVS (median age of 5 days, mean weight of 3.1 + 0.6 kg) and 30 neonates with PS (median age of 12 days, mean weight of 3 + 1.4 kg) were treated at a tertiary center. In PAIVS patients, a stiff-tip guidewire was used in 14 cases, with a success rate of 71.4%, and radiofrequency perforation in 3 cases, with a success rate of 100%. In PS patients, success was achieved in all of the cases. Hospital death was 23.5% for the PAIVS group and 3.3% for the PS group, none related to the percutaneous procedure. In the midterm follow-up, the reintervention rate due to restenosis was 21.4% in the PAIVS group and 10% in the PS group. CONCLUSIONS: Pulmonary valvuloplasty in PS or PAIVS has acceptable clinical and hemodynamic results, as long as favorable anatomic characteristics are observed and patent pulmonary flow is maintained until the procedure. Morbidity and mortality of patients with critical PS are lower than patients with PAIVS.
Catheterization; Pulmonary valve stenosis; Pulmonary atresia; Infant; newborn
