Catheterization in neonates with pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum

Pulmonary Atresia with Intact Ventricular Septum, a National Comparison Between Interventional and Surgical Approach, in Combination with a Systemic Literature Review

This study aimed to compare long-term morbidity in patients with pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum (PA-IVS) treated with catheter-based intervention (group A) versus those undergoing heart surgery (group B) as initial intervention. Additionally, we conducted a systematic literature review on PA-IVS treatment. All neonates born in Sweden with PA-IVS between 2007 and 2019 were screened for inclusion. The inclusion criterion was decompression of the right ventricle for initial intervention. Medical records were reviewed, as well as the initial preoperative angiogram, and the diagnostic echocardiogram. Comparisons between groups were performed with Mann-Whitney U-test and Fisher´s exact test. A systematic literature review of original studies regarding treatment of PA-IVS (2002 and onward) was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, to assess the outcomes of patients with PA-IVS. 34 (11 females) patients were included, 18 in group A and 16 in group B. There was no mortality in either group. Follow-up time ranged from 2 to 15 years (median 9). All attempted perforations in group A were successful, and 16 out of 18 patients reached biventricular circulation. In the surgical group 15 out of 16 patients reached biventricular circulation. The literature review presented heterogeneity in standards for treatment. This retrospective population-based multicenter study demonstrates that both catheter-based intervention and heart surgery are safe procedures. Our results are comparable to, or exceed, those in the systematic literature review. The systematic literature review displays a great heterogeneity in study design, with no definitive golden standard treatment.

Left ventricle dysfunction in patients with critical neonatal pulmonary stenosis: echocardiographic predictors. A single-center retrospective study

Background

The aim of this study is to identify echocardiographic predictors of transient left ventricle dysfunction after pulmonary valve balloon dilatation (PVBD), in neonates with pulmonary valve stenosis (PVS) and atresia with intact septum (PAIVS) at birth.

Methods

The study includes patients admitted at the Bambino Gesù Children Hospital from January 2012 to January 2017. Clinical, echocardiographic and cardiac catheterization data before and after PVBD were retrospectively analyzed.

Results

Twenty-nine infants were included in the study (21 male and eight female). The median age was 5.8 ± 7.1 days. Eight patients developed transient LV dysfunction (three PAIVS and five PVS) and comparing data before and after the procedure, there was no difference in right ventricle geometrical and functional parameters except for evidence of at least moderate pulmonary valve regurgitation after PVBD.

Conclusion

Moderate to severe degree pulmonary valve regurgitation was significant associated to LV dysfunction (p < 0.05) in PVS and PAIVS patients.

The Use of Chronic Total Occlusion (CTO) Wires for Perforation of Atretic Pulmonary Valve; Two Centers Experience

Pulmonary valve atresia with intact ventricular septum (PA-IVS) can be treated either surgically or transcatheterly for eligible patients. Perforation of pulmonary valves using chronic total occlusion (CTO) guidewires has been reported as an alternative to radiofrequency (RF) perforation. We sought to report our experience with CTO guidewires for perforation of atretic pulmonary valves and subsequent balloon dilatation (with or without patent ductus arteriosus stenting) in patients with PA-IVS from two centers. A retrospective study was carried out on PA-IVS patients who underwent intervention between March 2014 and September 2019, in which CTO guidewire was employed for pulmonary valve perforation. A total of 26 patients were identified. The median age and weight of the patients were 5.2 days (range 1-21 days) and 3.1 kg (range 2.2-3.8 kg), respectively. All patients were situs solitus, except one patient with left atrial isomerism. The right ventricle (RV) morphology was bipartite in 22/26 patients and tripartite in 4/26 patients. Before the procedure, the mean saturation was 76% (range 70-86%) while the patients were under prostaglandin infusion. The pulmonary valve perforation attempt was performed with the Asahi Conquest Pro 9 CTO wire (n = 6) or Asahi Pro 12 CTO wire (n = 18) and/or Asahi Miracle CTO wire (n = 2). The procedure was successful in 20/26 (77%) patients using CTO wires. We analyzed the efficiency of CTO wire based on the subtypes: Conquest Pro 9 in 6/6 (100%) patients, Conquest Pro 12 in 12/18 (67%) patients, and Miracle in 2/2 (100%) patients. Before CTO wire usage in 3 patients, radiofrequency (RF) perforation was unsuccessful. Among these 3 patients, pulmonary valve perforation was successful in 2 patients with CTO wire; hence, in the remaining patient, perforation was also unsuccessful with CTO wire. After CTO wire perforation was unsuccessful in 6 patients, RF perforation was attempted in 3 patients (2 successful attempts and 1 unsuccessful attempts), and one patient as referred to surgery. Desaturation was persistent in 19 cases, which necessitated ductus arteriosus stenting. Early procedural complication was observed in 3/26 (11%) patients. Two of these patients had vascular complications due to the sheath, which was treated with heparin infusion and streptokinase, and the remaining patient had sudden bradycardia and cardiac arrest during the procedure and did not respond to cardiac resuscitation. CTO wires should be keep in mind for atretic pulmonary valve perforation as a first choice or when RF perforation is unsuccessful.

Transcatheter Approach for Critical Pulmonary Stenosis or Pulmonary Atresia with Intact Ventricular Septum in Young Infants Using the Simmons Catheter

Methods and Results

We retrospectively reviewed 52 young infants, 41 of whom had CPS and 11 had PA/IVS, in a single center from June 2009 to October 2017. Patients were divided into three groups according to the type of catheter used to enter through the RVOT. The unique structure of the Simmons catheter allowed it to be maneuvered directly into the RVOT within a few minutes. Compared with the other two groups, the Simmons catheter group had a significantly shorter fluoroscopy time entering through the RVOT (P < 0.001) and a shorter total X-ray exposure time (P < 0.001). Furthermore, compared with the floating catheter group, the success rate of surgery was much higher in the Simmons catheter group (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

The Simmons catheter is a safe and effective method to enter through the RVOT in infants with CPS or PA/IVS. Therefore, the Simmons catheter could be an alternative catheter when entering through the RVOT in young infants, especially neonates with low birth weight.

Innovative interventional catheterization techniques for congenital heart disease

Since 1929, when the first cardiac catheterization was safely performed in a human by Dr. Werner Forssmann (on himself), there has been a rapid progression of cardiac catheterization techniques and technologies. Today, these advances allow us to treat a wide variety of patients with congenital heart disease using minimally invasive techniques; from fetus to infants to adults, and from simple to complex congenital cardiac lesions. In this article, we will explore some of the exciting advances in cardiac catheterization for the treatment of congenital heart disease, including transcatheter valve implantation, hybrid procedures, biodegradable technologies, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided catheterization. Additionally, we will discuss innovations in imaging in the catheterization laboratory, including 3D rotational angiography (3DRA), fusion imaging, and 3D printing, which help to make innovative interventional approaches possible.

Initial use of endothelial progenitor cells capturing stents in paediatric congenital heart disease

INTRODUCTION

Stenosis, mediated by neointimal hyperplasia and thrombosis, is a major limiting factor in successful stent implantation. The introduction of a stent, coated in its endoluminal surface by antihuman CD34 antibodies with endothelial progenitor cell-capturing properties, opens the possibility of promoting a rapid and normal functioning coverage by endothelium and thus avoids both an excessive cell proliferation within stent and the need for long-term dual antiplatelet therapy. These stents, developed for adult coronary artery disease, have not yet been implanted in children or in those with congenital heart disease.

OBJECTIVE AND METHODS

In this paper, we describe the implantation of Genous® stents in three children with cyanotic congenital heart disease and obstructed systemic-to-pulmonary shunts. We describe the use of this stent and address its potential feasibility in paediatric congenital heart disease.

RESULTS

To maintain the patency of two modified Blalock-Taussig shunts and one ductus arteriosus, four Genous® stents were implanted in three infants with cyanotic heart disease. All procedures were immediately successful, with resolution of stenosis and improvement in transcutaneous oxygen saturation from 66% ± 3.6% to 92% ± 2.6%. In the follow-up, one stent had no occlusion; however, the remaining two had partial occlusion after 5 and 5.5 months, which were successfully managed with balloon dilatation preceding elective definitive surgical correction.

CONCLUSION

In our preliminary experience, we demonstrated that Genous® stent implantation was feasible in infants with complex congenital heart disease. Additional studies with larger samples and longer follow-up are required to confirm the potential benefits of this technology in this clinical setting.

Stenting the neonatal arterial duct

Ductal stenting in neonates with either duct-dependent pulmonary or systemic circulation has become a good alternative for the initial palliation of complex congenital heart disease. Changes of stent and catheter technology (low profile, flexible, premounted stents with good scaffolding), better patient selection and preparation, optimal interventional access and covering the complete length of the duct have significantly improved results.

Advances in interventional and hybrid therapy in neonatal congenital heart disease

In addition to the considerable surgical advances in treating congenital heart diseases, hybrid and transcatheter therapies have become a cornerstone of neonatal cardiology within the last decade. Approaches to the care of cyanotic newborns with congenital heart disease focused on manipulations of the inter-atrial septum, right ventricular outflow tract obstructions, and on the arterial duct as the source for pulmonary blood flow. Currently, fewer interventional procedures are used in newborns and small infants to treat excessive pulmonary blood flow caused by shunt lesions, but transcatheter techniques and hybrid strategies have been developed to treat newborns suffering from inadequate systemic perfusion. However, transcatheter techniques are still not available to treat failing systemic ventricles without obvious structural disorders of the myocardium or dilated cardiomyopathies in newborns and infancy, despite new surgical-interventional strategies are already developed to avoid or to delay early heart transplantation. In conclusion, material and technical improvements have enabled transcatheter techniques to replace medical-based therapies to solve structurally dependent cardiovascular diseases. However, evidence-based and long-term follow-up data are required.

Catheter-based treatment in patients with critical pulmonary stenosis or pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum: a single institute experience with comparison between patients with and without additional procedure for pulmonary flow

OBJECTIVES

We report a single institute experience of transcatheter pulmonary valvotomy using the soft end of a guidewire followed or not by a systemic-pulmonary shunt in patients with pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum (PAIVS) or critical pulmonary stenosis (CPS). In addition, we compare patients with or without an additional source of flow to support the pulmonary circulation after successful pulmonary valvotomy.

METHODS

All neonates with PAIVS or CPS who underwent primary transcatheter pulmonary valvotomy between January 2004 and December 2010 were reviewed retrospectively. Some of them needed an additional source of flow to support the pulmonary circulation. We performed a comparison between those who required an additional source of pulmonary flow and those who did not.

RESULTS

The initial procedure was successful in 20 out of 22 patients (seven of nine with PAIVS; all of 13 with CPS), but 10 of them needed an additional source of flow to support the pulmonary circulation: nine had arterial duct stenting and one had surgical Blalock-Taussig shunt. There were no deaths or major acute complications, except for femoral artery occlusion in three patients. The bipartite right ventricular morphology, the tricuspid z-score of ≤-0.74, the tricuspid to mitral valve ratio of ≤ 0.9, and the z-score of the diastolic interventricular septal thickness ≥ 2.37 in preprocedural examination showed more tendency of needing shunt placement.

CONCLUSION

Transcatheter pulmonary valvotomy using the soft end of a guidewire followed or not by the arterial duct stent implantation was an effective approach in those patients. The angiographic distinction between CPS and PAIVS did not affect anything in this study including the procedural method, success, and odds for reintervention. The degree of right ventricle cavity hypoplasia provided the main restriction to forward flow after pulmonary valvotomy.

Use of a telescopic system for transcatheter radiofrequency perforation and balloon valvotomy in infants with pulmonary atresia and intact ventricular septum

BACKGROUND

Pulmonary atresia and intact ventricular septum is a complex congenital heart disease with great morphological variability. Approximately two-thirds of patients may be suitable for transcatheter pulmonary valvotomy. We reviewed our experience in the use of two different percutaneous approaches to evaluate the impact on fluoroscopy time and morbidity of a new technique to perform transcatheter radiofrequency perforation and valvotomy in newborns with pulmonary atresia and intact ventricular septum.

METHODS AND RESULTS

In all, 31 patients underwent radiofrequency perforation of the pulmonary valve. The first 14 infants were treated using a 5 French Judkins right coronary catheter, which was manoeuvred directly underneath the atretic pulmonary valve (Group A). The others were treated using a telescopic system consisting of Northstar Lumax Flex and White Lumax Guiding Catheters (Cook; Group B). In both groups, after radiofrequency perforation of the pulmonary valve, a 0.014-inch superfloppy guidewire was advanced into the descending aorta and balloon dilations were performed. Required fluoroscopy time was significantly lower in Group B (48.5 ± 28.1 versus 24.9 ± 14.4 minutes, respectively; p < 0.01). A higher incidence of unfavourable events including the need for early surgery was found in Group A.

CONCLUSION

In our experience, telescopic catheter proved to be a valid option able to decrease the fluoroscopy time of percutaneous radiofrequency perforation of pulmonary valve and consequently patients’ exposure to procedure-related risks.

Decreased incidence of right-ventricular outflow tract complications using a retrograde snare technique for radiofrequency pulmonary valve perforation

Perforation of the atretic pulmonary valve with balloon dilation in infants with pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum (PA-IVS) is standard initial therapy for right-ventricular (RV) decompression. This procedure often results in adequate pulmonary blood flow, thus eliminating the need for neonatal surgery. Nonetheless, the incidence of RV outflow-tract complications and mortality for this intervention is significant. We report our experience with retrograde snare-guided radiofrequency (RF) perforation in an attempt to improve accuracy and decrease procedural complications. Medical records were reviewed for the period between March 2007 and May 2010 for all patients with PA-IVS who presented to the catheterization laboratory for attempted RF perforation in infancy. Specific details reviewed included demographics, preprocedural echocardiographic (echo) data, procedural technique and complications, pre- and post-RV pressures and pulmonary valve gradients, need for surgical intervention in the neonatal period, and short- to medium-term follow-up. Eleven neonates with PA-IVS underwent RF perforation using a retrograde snare-guided technique during the study period. The pulmonary valve was successfully perforated and the wire snared in all 11 patients. Six of 11 atretic valves were crossed on the first attempt with low energy (5 W × 2 s). No episodes of tamponade or RV/PA perforation occurred as confirmed by echocardiogram performed immediately after the procedure. There was no ductal spasm with retrograde catheter manipulations. Sequential dilation of the perforated valve was not necessary. RV pressures decreased from 169 % systemic before dilation to 93 % after dilation (p < 0.001) with a residual pulmonary valve gradient of 16 ± 6 mm Hg. Eight of 11 patients (73 %) were discharged without surgery at an average 16 days after the intervention. Three patients required Blalock-Taussig shunts to augment pulmonary blood flow. Femoral artery thrombus occurred in 4 of 11 patients treated with anticoagulation, and 2 patients had atrial arrhythmias during the procedure. No other complications occurred. No preprocedural echo parameters predicted requirement for surgical shunt before hospital discharge. Retrograde snare-guided pulmonary valve perforation in infants with PA-IVS is safe and may decrease the incidence of significant procedural complications.

Stent implantation of the arterial duct in newborns with a truly duct-dependent pulmonary circulation: a single-center experience with emphasis on aspects of the interventional technique

INTRODUCTION

Ductal stenting for pulmonary blood supply in newborns with cyanotic congenital heart disease (CHD) might be a low risk and safe alternative to the surgical aorto-to-pulmonary artery (AP) shunt in dual-source lung perfusion. Ductal stenting in truly duct-dependent pulmonary circulation has not been evaluated.

METHODS

Prospective interventional and clinical follow-up trial. Ductal stenting based on variable access sites, a 2-wire technique when crossing a tortuous ductus, and use of premounted coronary stents. Primary outcome measures were procedural success and complication rates presented as early and mid-term results.

RESULTS

From 2003-2009, 58 duct-dependent newborns underwent ductal stenting; 27 of them were truly duct dependent, 20 had pulmonary atresia (PA)/ventricular septum defect or complex CHD, 4 had PA/intact ventricular septum, 2 had PA with Ebstein anomaly, and 1 had PA with tricuspid atresia. Ductal stenting was performed without procedure-related mortality; 3 of 27 required an acute surgical AP-shunt (stent migration in 1, acute duct obstruction in 2). During mid-term follow-up, 4 of 24 needed an AP-shunt and two others stent redilation. Three patients died prior to follow-up surgery (1 unexpectedly at home and 2 due to syndromatic disease). Fifteen patients received staged univentricular palliation, 8 had a biventricular repair, and 1 is awaiting follow-up operation.

CONCLUSION

Ductal stenting is a feasible, safe, and effective palliation in newborns with truly duct-dependent pulmonary circulation irrespective of duct morphology. Vasucular access from various locations is important for technical success rate. Ductal stenting is a minimally invasive procedure to achieve adequate pulmonary artery growth for subsequent palliative or corrective surgery.

Novel catheter positioning technique for atretic pulmonary valve perforation

Percutaneous pulmonary valve perforation in selected neonates with pulmonary valve atresia and intact ventricular septum has been well established as a therapeutic option. Pulmonary valve perforation is associated with significant risks including perforation of the right ventricle. Optimal catheter positioning is crucial to the success of the procedure. This report describes a novel technique for accurate positioning of a guiding catheter during perforation of an atretic pulmonary valve.