Patent ductus arteriosus stenting is an attractive alternative to surgical shunt in a majority of patients with duct-dependent circulation. An absolute contraindication to this technique is the presence of branch pulmonary stenosis.

Objectives: To evaluate the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of the Occlutech V R PDA occluder for closure of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). Background: The Occlutech V R PDA occluder is novel, self-shaping Nitinol wire device with PET (polyethylene terephthalate) patches integrated into the shank of the device to assure a better obturation of the ductus. The Occlutech V R PDA occluder has undergone two design modifications. Methods: A prospective, non-randomized pilot study was started in November 2011. Thirty-three patients were included until April 2013. Patients weighing <6 kg or those with associated cardiac anomalies that required surgery were excluded. All patients were followed up by transthoracic echocardiography at 24 hr, 30 days, 90 days, 180 days, and 360 days after implantation. Residual shunt, left pulmonary artery (LPA) and descending aortic velocities were among the parameters assessed. All occluders were delivered via 6-8 F long sheaths and PDA closures were performed following standard techniques. Results: Thirty three patients (20 female/13 male), with a median age of 2 years (6 month to 38 years), and median weight of 9.3 kg (6-69.2 kg) were included. The narrowest median PDA diameter was 3mm (1.8-5.8 mm). All the 33 patients were closed successfully using Occlutech ductal occluder, 16 patients (48.4%) had immediate and complete closure on angiography. Within 24 hr, color Doppler revealed complete closure in 27patients (81.8%), 32patients (97%) at 30 days, and in 100% of patients at 90 days. All patients with a large PDA had immediate residual shunt which was closed at the 90-day follow-up. There was no device embolization, hemolysis, or obstruction to the LPA or descending aorta. Conclusion: The new Occlutech V R PDA is safe and effective. In patients with a large PDA complete closure tended to take longer time.

Some patients with pulmonary atresia with an intact ventricular septum, mild to moderate right ventricular hypoplasia, and a patent infundibulum remain duct dependent on the flow of blood through the arterial duct despite adequate relief of the obstruction within the right ventricular outflow tract. The objective of our study was to review the risk factors for stenting of the patent arterial duct, or construction of a Blalock-Taussig shunt, in the patients with pulmonary atresia and an intact ventricular septum who remain duct-dependent following radiofrequency valvotomy and dilation of the imperforate pulmonary valve. We reviewed the data from 53 patients seen between November 1995 and December 2001. Of the 47 patients who survived, 6 required stenting of the patent arterial duct, while 4 needed construction of a modified Blalock-Taussig shunt to augment the flow of blood to the lungs at a mean of 7 plus or minus 5.7 days following the initial intervention. The remaining 37 patients required no additional procedures. We compared the findings in these two groups. The mean diameter of the tricuspid valve in the patients requiring early reintervention was 8.5 plus or minus 3.7 millimetres, giving a Z-score of -1.1 plus or minus 1.47, whilst those in the group without early reintervention had values of 10.7 plus or minus 2.2 millimetres, giving a Z-score of -0.58 plus or minus 1.18 (p equal to 0.003). No statistically significant differences were found in right ventricular morphology, McGoon ratio, or residual obstruction across the right ventricular outflow tract after decompression of the right ventricle. The diameter of the tricuspid valve, therefore, appears to be the only factor predicting the need for augmentation of flow of blood to the lungs. As just over one-fifth of our survivors required such augmentation, we hypothesize that stenting of the patent arterial duct may be performed as an integral part of primary transcatheter therapy in patients with pulmonary atresia and intact ventricular septum who have moderate right ventricular hypoplasia and a small tricuspid valve.

No abstract

No abstract