Background: NuMED Cheatham-Platinum (CP) stent implantation for pulmonary artery stenosis in children and adolescents has been rarely reported. This study aimed to evaluate the immediate and mid-term results of CP stent implantation for the treatment of pulmonary artery stenosis associated with congenital heart disease (CHD) in children and adolescents.
Methods: From August 2005 to May 2007, four consecutive pediatric patients with pulmonary artery stenosis associated with CHD underwent CP stent implantation. They were followed up, and transthoracic echocardiography was done for outcome evaluation.
Results: In the four patients, 5 stent placement procedures were performed and 7 CP stents were implanted (8-zig, 22-39 mm in length). All stents except one were successfully placed in the target lesions without displacement during the procedures. After the procedure, the systolic pressure gradient across the stenosis decreased from 36.67 ± 20.08 to 3.67 ± 3.20 mmHg (P=0.005), and the narrowest diameter of the stenotic segment increased from 6.97 ± 2.22 to 13.40 ± 4.40 mm (P=0.013). Two stents implanted in the left and right pulmonary arteries in patient 4 developed intrastent restenosis 6 months after the procedure, and the distal end of the main pulmonary artery also developed restenosis 26 months later. The results of the remaining stents have been stable without complications during a median follow-up of 34 months (range, 26-48 months).
Conclusions: Our experience indicates that CP stent implantation is suitable for the treatment of pulmonary artery stenosis in children and adolescents with CHD. The immediate and mid-term results are encouraging, but long-term results demand further follow-up in more cases.