SHORT AND LONG-TERM OUTCOMES AFTER BALLOON PULMONARY VALVULOPLASTY IN CONGENITAL PULMONARY STENOSIS

Abstract

Background- Balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty (BPV) has emerged as the treatment of choice for patients with valvular pulmonary stenosis (PS). We report here our short and long–term outcomes of BPV in 64 patients with isolated native PS.<br />Methods- From February 1996 to February 2006, sixty–four patients with PS (pressure gradients ≥40 mm Hg) were enrolled in this retrospective study.<br />Results- The hemodynamic data at catheterization revealed that the RV - PA pressure gradient before BPV ranged from 40 to 240 mmHg (mean ±SD=93.2±43.4 mmHg). The above gradient immediately after BPV ranged from 5 to 163 mmHg (mean ±SD=30.3±27.7 mmHg), and the difference was significant (p=0.0037). Twenty-three patients had regular follow–up. The duration of follow- up ranged from 1-120 months with a mean of 38.5±31.3 months. The transvalvar pressure gradient during the above period ranged from 10 to 140 mmHg with a mean of 35.9±27.9 mmHg and showed a significant difference (p=0.0032) with the pressure gradients before BPV.<br />Conclusion- BPV provides short and mid-term relief of pulmonary valve obstruction in the majority of patients.