Cardiac Catheterization Interventions in the Right Ventricular Outflow Tract and Branch Pulmonary Arteries Following the Arterial Switch Operation

The objective of this study was to describe the degree and nature of right ventricular outflow tract obstruction found during cardiac catheterization among patients following the arterial switch operation  as well as determine the rate of intervention and assess the acute impact of any catheter intervention undertaken. We conducted a retrospective study of patients after arterial switch operation with the LeCompte maneuver and subsequent right heart catheterization. Descriptive statistics were repo rted, and paired sample t tests were used for analysis. 544 children had an arterial switch operation, of which 110 children (20%) had a cardiac catheterization procedure after surgery and 11% had a right heart catheterization. Of the right heart catheterizations, 90% had an intervention (balloon an d/or stent). In the interventional group, the right ventricle to systemic pressure ratio decreased modestly, from 2/3 to half systemic, after balloon dilation and/or stent placement (p <  0.01). No serious complications were observed.
Source: Pediatric Cardiology - Category: Cardiology Source Type: research