Outcomes and predictors of reintervention in patients with pulmonary atresia and intact ventricular septum treated with radiofrequency perforation and balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty

Pediatr Cardiol. 2014 Jan;35(1):22-9. doi: 10.1007/s00246-013-0733-1. Epub 2013 Jun 19.

Abstract

Radiofrequency perforation and valvuloplasty (RFV) is an effective initial treatment in patients with pulmonary atresia and intact ventricular septum (PA-IVS) and mild to moderate right ventricle and tricuspid valve hypoplasia. Outcomes and risk factors for the need for additional interventions in these patients are poorly defined. All patients with PA-IVS who underwent RFV at our center between January 2000 and July 2011 were reviewed. Twenty-three patients met the inclusion criteria. All patients underwent successful valvuloplasty with no procedural deaths and one major complication. Excluding two patients with limited follow-up, 6 (29 %) patients underwent no subsequent interventions, whereas 9 (42 %) patients underwent surgical right-ventricular outflow tract augmentation. All except one patient with adequate follow-up have a biventricular circulation with saturation >92 %. Patients who did not undergo any right-ventricular outflow tract intervention after valvuloplasty had a significantly lower gradient across the pulmonary valve after valvuloplasty (9.9 mmHg ± 8.4 vs. 19.1 mmHg ± 10.4, p = 0.05). Significantly more patients who received a supplemental source of pulmonary blood flow had a tricuspid valve z-score <-0.7 compared with patients who did not receive supplemental blood flow [2 (15 %) vs. 7 (70 %), p = 0.008]. In our cohort of patients with PA-IVS, radiofrequency perforation with valvuloplasty was an effective and safe first step in establishing a biventricular circulation. Postvalvuloplasty pulmonary valve gradient may be predictive of subsequent outflow tract intervention, and tricuspid hypoplasia may be predictive of the need for a supplemental source of pulmonary blood flow.

MeSH terms

  • Angiography / methods
  • Angioplasty, Balloon* / adverse effects
  • Angioplasty, Balloon* / methods
  • Blood Circulation
  • Catheter Ablation* / adverse effects
  • Catheter Ablation* / methods
  • Child, Preschool
  • Echocardiography / methods
  • Female
  • Heart Defects, Congenital* / diagnosis
  • Heart Defects, Congenital* / epidemiology
  • Heart Defects, Congenital* / physiopathology
  • Heart Defects, Congenital* / surgery
  • Heart Ventricles / abnormalities
  • Heart Ventricles / physiopathology
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Male
  • Monitoring, Physiologic
  • Outcome Assessment, Health Care
  • Postoperative Complications* / diagnosis
  • Postoperative Complications* / epidemiology
  • Postoperative Complications* / physiopathology
  • Postoperative Complications* / surgery
  • Pulmonary Atresia* / diagnosis
  • Pulmonary Atresia* / epidemiology
  • Pulmonary Atresia* / physiopathology
  • Pulmonary Atresia* / surgery
  • Pulmonary Valve / abnormalities
  • Pulmonary Valve / physiopathology
  • Pulmonary Valve / surgery*
  • Reoperation
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Risk Assessment
  • Risk Factors
  • United States / epidemiology

Supplementary concepts

  • Pulmonary Atresia with Intact Ventricular Septum