A strategic approach to transcatheter closure of patent ductus: Gianturco coils for small-to-moderate ductus and Amplatzer duct occluder for large ductus

Pseudoaneurysm of Patent Ductus Arteriosus Following Previous PDA Closure: Case Report and Literature Review

BACKGROUND

Pseudoaneurysm developing after repair of a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is uncommon, with only a handful of cases reported in the literature. While older literature cites infection, recent series suggest that formation of pseudoaneurysm off of a ligated PDA attributed to breakdown in the suture line. Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) for this rare pathology has been demonstrated in selected case reports.

METHODS/RESULTS

A 61-year-old woman presented with enlarging left chest mass and shortness of breath. The patient reported a history of a PDA with 2 attempts at closure. At age 6, she had undergone an attempt at endovascular closure of the PDA; this subsequently resulted in right lower extremity limb ischemia with resultant below-knee amputation. At age 12, she underwent open thoracotomy with ligation of the PDA; at this procedure, she had injury to her recurrent laryngeal nerve, resulting in permanent hoarseness of voice. A computed tomography angiogram of the chest was obtained, which demonstrated a saccular 4.5 × 3.8 cm pseudoaneurysm in the region of the PDA with calcific wall changes. Recommendation was made to proceed with operative repair and she agreed. A TEVAR was performed using a commercially available stent graft. During the procedure, intravascular ultrasound was performed; however, the connection between the PDA pseudoaneurysm and the aorta was not visualized. She had an uncomplicated operative and postoperative course. Follow-up imaging showed complete thrombosis of the pseudoaneurysm.

CONCLUSIONS

Pseudoaneurysm from previous PDA repair is a rare pathology. We present a unique case in which the patient had undergone attempts at both endovascular and open surgical repair. Open repair for PDA is still advocated; however, TEVAR appears to be a safe treatment in adults with this pathology following failed open closure.

Transcatheter Repair of Congenital Heart Defects in the Young

In recent decades, tremendous medical advances have been made. Therapeutic cardiac catheterisation for repair of congenital heart defects has become the standard mode of therapy. Catheter techniques have progressed. They now provide temporary palliation, prepare the patient for surgical reconstruction, or offer a definitive repair. The main advantages of non-surgical procedures are avoidance of thoracotomy and cardiopulmonary bypass, together with a shorter hospitalisation period and speedier convalescence. Paediatric interventions include: transcatheter device closure of congenital cardiac defects, balloon angioplasty and valvuloplasty, atrial septostomy, patent ductus arteriosus stenting in the neonatal period, vessel embolisation, and many others. Topping those interventions is the introduction of transcatheter valve replacement. The aim of this article is to review these interventions and present them in a simplified, vibrant, and up-to-date fashion. In conclusion, paediatric cardiac interventions have established their reliability and ever-expanding scope in the setting of congenital heart disease management. Nevertheless, success is dependent on selecting the proper procedure for each condition, which may also vary with each patient. Thus, it is highly dependent on the experience and expertise of the operator. With the current rate of technological innovation, more and more surgical procedures will eventually be replaced by catheter-based interventions with a great degree of safety and efficacy.

Initial experience with the 3.3 Fr Mongoose® pigtail catheter for aortic angiography during patent ductus arteriosus closure in small patients

BACKGROUND

Smaller femoral arterial sheaths may be associated with fewer vascular complications. The 3.3 Fr Mongoose^® Pediavascular pigtail catheter is a catheter that allows higher flow rates, potentially resulting in improved angiographic quality. We reviewed our experience with this small catheter during patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) closure.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Review of patients ≤20 kg in whom the Mongoose^® catheter was used during PDA closure from 12/13 to 4/15. Angiographic efficacy and procedural details were compared to ten 4 Fr catheter cases. Comparisons were performed using Mann-Whitney U-test; P < 0.05 was statistically significant.

RESULTS

Twelve (9 female) patients were catheterized with a 3.3 Fr Mongoose^®. Median weight 10.5 kg (range 6.4-18.2), height 81 cm (range 37-111), and body surface area (BSA) 0.47 m² (range 0.33-0.75) were similar to ten patients (3 females) in the 4 Fr control group (P = NS); median weight 9.9 kg (range 6-16.8), height 80 cm (range 64-102), and BSA 0.46 m2 (range 0.31-0.74). Angiographic quality was subjectively adequate with both with no difference in the median pixel density between the two techniques (3.3 Fr: 76.7 [range 33.5-90] and 4 Fr: [70; 38-102]; P = NS). Contrast used was similar between the groups (3.3 Fr: median 4.2 ml/kg and 4 Fr: 4.9 ml/kg; P = NS). Median radiation dose was similar in the two groups (3.3 Fr: 28.1 mGy [range 17.2-38] and 4 Fr: 38 mGy [range 20.4-58.5]; P = NS). All ducts were closed at latest follow-up (P = NS). No complications were encountered.

CONCLUSIONS

The 3.3 Fr Mongoose^® allowed similar angiography to the 4 Fr pigtail catheter, allowing safe and effective transcatheter PDA closure in small children.

Severe spinal cord ischemic injury secondary to device embolization after transcatheter closure of a patent arterial duct

Percutaneous closure of patent arterial ducts with the Amplatzer Ductal Occluder has become an effective and widely accepted alternative to surgical management. Although rarely, the occluder can be dislodged after an initially successful deployment, and with catastrophic consequences. We describe such a case in a 12-month-old girl who underwent transcatheter closure of a patent arterial duct. After device deployment, the occluder embolized in the patient's descending thoracic aorta, and severe spinal cord ischemic injury resulted. To our knowledge, ours is the first report of this complication after the deployment of an Amplatzer Ductal Occluder. We discuss pathophysiologic mechanisms that could expose patients to the risk of device dislodgment, and we review the relevant medical literature.

Percutaneous closure of a moderate to large tubular or elongated patent ductus arteriosus in children younger than 3 years: is the ADO II appropriate?

Protrusion of the Amplatzer duct occluder (ADO) II device into the aortic isthmus or the pulmonary artery causing obstruction and residual flow has been reported, but the same has not been widely studied in small children with a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) anatomy not considered suitable for closure with the ADO I device. This study aimed to report the safety and efficacy of the ADO II device in children younger than 3 years with a tubular or elongated PDA and to analyze the possible reasons for residual flow in children with such a PDA. In this study, 17 children younger than 3 years (mean age, 10.3 ± 7 months; mean weight, 6 ± 3.6 kg) underwent attempted closure of a tubular or elongated PDA (mean diameter at the narrowest point, 4.1 ± 1.1 mm) with the ADO II device between July 2010 and July 2012. Of the 17 patients, 16 (2 boys and 14 girls) completed the follow-up evaluation. A complete echocardiographic evaluation was performed on all the patients before PDA closure and at the follow-up visit, and the results were compared with those of previous published studies. Of the 16 patients, the 15 who completed the follow-up evaluation had successful device closure (1 device embolization). Residual flow was present in six patients immediately after deployment, which was reduced to three patients at the last follow-up visit. Five of nine patients closed with a 6-mm-long device had residual flow compared with only one of seven patients closed with a 4-mm-long device. After device closure, significant elevations of the left and right pulmonary artery velocities occurred in three and two patients, respectively; in 12 patients, descending thoracic aortic (DTA) velocities increased mildly. There was trend toward a fall in the elevated pressures at the last follow-up visit, although one patient had an elevation in right pulmonary artery velocity at last the follow-up echocardiogram compared with the echocardiogram immediately after closure. Hence, in children younger than 3 years with or without pulmonary arterial hypertension, closure of a PDA not amenable to closure with the ADO I device is feasible using the ADO II device, with an increased incidence of clinically nonsignificant complications. Selection of device dimensions according to the manufacturer's recommendation may not be the optimal strategy.

Transcatheter closure of patent ductus arteriosus: Evaluating the effect of the learning curve on the outcome

Background and Objectives:

Initial experience with transcatheter closure of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) using detachable coils and Amplatzer duct occluder devices is reported. We evaluated the outcome, complications, and influence of the learning curve, and also assessed the need of surgical backup for such interventional procedures.

Methods:

From January 2000 to December 2004, 121 patients underwent transcatheter closure of PDA. Aortic angiogram was performed to evaluate the size, position, and shape of the duct for appropriately choosing the occluder device type and size. A second aortic angiogram was performed 10 minutes after device deployment. Echocardiography was repeated at intervals of 24 hours, then at 1, 3, and 6 months after the procedure to assess complications. Stepwise multiple regression analysis was used to assess the role of experience in improving the outcome of the procedure.

Results:

Of 121 cases, four patients had pulmonary artery embolization of the occluder device which was successfully retrieved in the catheterization laboratory, while two others had embolization that required surgical intervention. Four patients had temporary residual leak, nine had protrusion of the device into the aorta without significant Doppler pressure gradient or hemolysis on follow-up, and five had partial hemodynamically insignificant obstruction to the left pulmonary artery. Statistical analysis showed that the effect of the learning curve and experience was responsible for 93% improvement in the procedural outcome over the five-year study period.

Conclusion:

Transcatheter occlusion of PDA is safe and effective alternative to surgery. Complications occurred in those with unfavorable duct anatomy and with the use of multiple coils. Surgical backup was important for such interventional procedures. Experience played a major role in the proper choice of device type and size which greatly influenced the outcome of the procedure.

To close or not to close: the very small patent ductus arteriosus

Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) accounts for approximately 10% of all congenital heart diseases, with an incidence of at least 2-4 per 1000 term births. Closure of the large, hemodynamically significant PDA is established as the standard of care, and can be performed safely and effectively using either surgical or transcatheter methods. The appropriate management of the very small, hemodynamically insignificant PDA is less clear. Routine closure of such defects has been advocated to eliminate or reduce the risk of infective endocarditis (IE). However, the risk of IE in patients with a small PDA appears to be extremely low, and IE is treatable. Although closure of the small PDA is generally safe and technically successful, it is unknown whether this treatment truly improves the risk:benefit balance compared with observation. In this article, we review the published literature on the natural history and treatment outcomes in individuals with a PDA, the epidemiology and outcomes of IE, particularly in association with PDA, and the rationale and evidence for closure of the very small PDA.

Isolated supravalvular pulmonary stenosis in a 25-day-old newborn infant: an occasional and early diagnosis

Pulmonary stenosis comprises variable pathologic features from the right ventricular outflow tract to the peripheral pulmonary arteries. Most frequently, the obstruction occurs at the level of the pulmonary valve; however, it occurs less frequently at the infindibular level. It can occur as part of more congenital cardiac malformations such as tetralogy of Fallot, complete transposition of great arteries, or atrial septal defect. Proximal pulmonary artery stenosis has also been reported as an acquired lesion in infants treated for congenital heart disease. Primary isolated supravalvular pulmonary stenosis is less common. We present a case of primary isolated pulmonary artery stenosis in an asymptomatic 25-day-old newborn infant.