Amplatzer vascular plugs in congenital cardiovascular malformations

Endobronchial management of bronchopleural fistula using vascular plug device—a case report

Background

Bronchopleural fistula (BPF) is a sinus tract between the pleural space and the main stem, lobar, or segmental bronchus. The development of a bronchopleural fistula (BPF) is associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. An interdisciplinary approach, early diagnosis, and timely management of these lesions are critical in the management of such lesions.

Case presentation

We describe a case of bronchopleural fistula in a 42-year-old female patient, occurring after a surgery for pulmonary hydatid, which was successfully managed using a minimally invasive method of closure using Amplatzer vascular plug (AVP).

To our knowledge, the use of an AVP for the management of a BPF following hydatid cyst marsupialization has rarely been described in the past.

Conclusion

AVP is a useful device in the management of bronchopleural fistulas, especially in patients failing a trial of conservative management and are high-risk candidates for surgeries.

Transcatheter closure of elongated and pulmonary hypertensive patent arterial duct in infants using Amplatzer vascular plug II

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the feasibility, efficacy, and safety of Amplatzer vascular plug II in large and elongated ducts in infants.

INTRODUCTION

Patent arterial duct device closure is technically challenging in infants with large and elongated ducts because Amplatzer duct occluder and Amplatzer duct occluder II have high chances of causing aortic coarctation and left pulmonary artery stenosis, respectively. The Amplatzer vascular plug II being soft with no retention discs on either sides helps in mitigating these problems.

METHOD

This is a prospective, observational study involving infants with clinical, echocardiographic and angiographic evidence of large left to right shunt. All the children underwent duct closure using Amplatzer vascular plug II.

RESULTS

Eighteen infants qualified for the study. Mean age and weight were 8.63 ± 3.84 months and 6.3 ± 1.7 kg, respectively. The angiographic mean duct diameter at the pulmonary artery end was 4.66 ± 0.92 mm, and the mean duct length was 9.4 ± 2.48 mm. The size of Amplatzer vascular plug II used varied from 6 mm to 10 mm. Technical success was achieved in 16/18 cases. One patient had device embolisation, and in the other, the device was found to be unstable. The ratio of Amplatzer vascular plug II size to the duct diameter was 1.65 ± 0.27, while the ratio of ductal length to device length was 1.48 ± 0.46 in those with successful outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

Amplatzer vascular plug II is a safe and effective option in appropriately selected infants with elongated ducts. Diameter and length of Amplatzer vascular plug II vis-a-vis those of the ductus are important determinants of the successful outcome.

Recanalisation of subclavian-pulmonary artery shunt in adult with tetralogy of Fallot

We report the case of a patient diagnosed with extreme tetralogy of Fallot who received subclavian-pulmonary artery shunt at the age of 3 years and underwent corrective surgery at the age of 16 years. The patient developed progressive effort dyspnea and left ventricular dysfunction from the age of 40 years. The exploratory finding of a continuous jugular and left subclavian murmur prompted an echocardiographic study that evidenced a continuous flow in the suprasternal view. CT study confirmed the patency of the surgical subclavian-pulmonary artery shunt, which was percutaneously embolised with the implantation of an Amplatzer plug, with a good final outcome and no residual flow. The patient showed a satisfactory development with clinical improvement, decreased left ventricular volume and enhanced left ventricular function.

Clinical Study to Individual Treatment for Major Aortopulmonary Collaterals of Tetralogy of Fallot

Objectives

To build a guideline for the individual treatment of Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) with major aortopulmonary collaterals (MAPCAs) and tentatively establish the occlusion index of MAPCAs.

Methods

According to the diameter of the aortopulmonary collaterals (R: mm) and the bodyweight of the children (weight: kg), K= ((∑R²)/Wt) was set as the occlusion index of TOF with MAPCAs. A retrospective study was initially performed in 171 patients who suffered from TOF with MAPCAs and underwent cardiac malformation repair to investigate the intervals of the K value: K≥2, 1<K<2, and K≤1. In order to examine the reliability of the intervals derived from the retrospective study, a prospective study was conducted in the following 209 cases. When K≥2, the collaterals occlusion was performed immediately behind surgical corrections. The postoperative condition changes in patients with 1<K<2 were observed first and managed by extending mechanical ventilation, while taking further treatments as their conditions worsen. As for patients with K≤1, no occlusion was performed. Finally, the circumstances of collaterals occlusion, postoperative ventilator assist time, and ICU resident time were collected and analyzed.

Result

The proportion of the patients treated with occlusion and the postoperative ICU resident time (p<0.05) in patients with 1<K<2 in the prospective study did dramatically decrease when compared with those of the retrospective studies.

Conclusion

Due to restrictions on medical conditions in China with a large population base, a standard individual treatment of TOF with MAPCAs should be established based on the Aortopulmonary Collaterals Occlusion Index K= ((∑R²)/Wt), which can effectively avoid unnecessary collateral occlusion, minimize trauma, and shorten the length of ICU and hospital stay. When K≥2, the collateral occlusion and surgical correction are recommended to be performed simultaneously. When 1<K<2, whether to occlude collaterals depends on the patients' postoperative conditions with extending ventilator time. When K≤1, do not deal with collaterals.

Collateral closure in congenital heart defects with Amplatzer vascular plugs: single-center experience and a simplified delivery technique for exceptional cases

The study describes our experience with Amplatzer Vascular Plugs (AVP2 and 4) and highlights a more refindes telescopic technique for AVP2 delivery. AVPs are well-established occlusion devices for vascular anomalies in congenital heart disease (CHD). The AVP2 is sometimes preferred to the AVP4 due to its shorter length, flat-profiled retention disks, and the availability of larger diameters, but its profile requires a larger inner lumen for safe delivery. The latter may actually hamper access to target lesions. This is a retrospective analysis of all CHD patients treated with the AVP2 and AVP4 between 12/2012 and 12/2015. Target vessels were characterized, measured, and the device-to-vessel diameter ratio calculated. A modified pigtail technique for AVP2 delivery was frequently used: a floppy wire was simply reinforced by the curved tip of a pigtail catheter (instead of the long sheath's dilator) to guide the required delivery sheath towards the desired landing zone. 59 patients with a median age and bodyweight of 3.0 years (range 0.1-75) and 13.8 kg (range 2.5-80) underwent the implantation of 106 plug-devices (30 AVP2, 76 AVP4) in 91 target vessels. Indications for their use were ductus arteriosus (19%), aortopulmonary (43%) as well as venovenous collaterals (34%) and other miscellaneous lesions (4%). The pigtail-supported AVP2 delivery in six patients proved very convenient. No complications occurred. AVPs are excellent devices for embolizing shunt vessels in CHD patients. Here, we describe a simplified telescoping technique for AVP2 delivery to enter curvy target lesions gently and efficiently.

Esophageal perforation caused by an AMPLATZERTM vascular plug 4 occlusion device

The AMPLATZER^TM Vascular Plug 4 (AVP4) is a self-expandable, replaceable occluder made of Nitinol wire mesh, which allows the safe and effective interventional occlusion of medium size vessels. This report describes an infant diagnosed with pulmonary atresia, ventricular septal defect, and multifocal collateral lung perfusion through four major aortopulmonary collateral arteries (MAPCAs). A central aorto-pulmonary shunt was performed at 4 months of age. Because of postoperative pulmonary hyperperfusion, one of the MAPCAs was closed interventionally using a 5 mm AVP4. This MAPCA originated from the descending aorta (DAO) near the fifth thoracic vertebra and ran behind the esophagus to the lower lobe of the right lung. The MAPCA was closed near its origin from the DAO. Four weeks later, the patient presented with severe gastrointestinal bleeding, caused by perforation of the AVP4 into the esophagus. The occluder was extracted surgically, the MAPCA was clipped and the esophageal injury was sutured. To date, there have been no reports describing esophageal perforation due to an AVP4. The perforation in this patient may have been due to implantation of the AVP4 near the aorta in a MAPCA segment located directly in front of the spine and behind the esophagus. Another possible factor may have been the requirement for a gastrointestinal feeding tube. Although the occluder is soft and flexible, the spindle-shaped ends may cause trauma if they are located close to other structures. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Combined Retrograde/Antegrade Approach to Transcatheter Closure of an Aortic Paravalvular Leak

New interventional techniques have made transcatheter closure of aortic paravalvular leaks a viable therapeutic option to treat the sequelae of these defects, including congestive heart failure and hemolysis. We report the transcatheter closure of an aortic paravalvular leak via a combined retrograde/antegrade approach. This was necessary because of difficulty in crossing the defect with a sheath from the retrograde approach. This technique might be useful in application to other difficult structural heart interventions. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a treated paravalvular leak around a Mitroflow(®) Aortic Pericardial Heart Valve.

Aortopulmonary collateral artery in prenatal exposure to carbamazepine - endovascular therapy and technical considerations: a case report

INTRODUCTION

Aortopulmonary collateral arteries are an uncommon variant of alternative blood supply in cases of complex congenital heart disease. Although surgery may still be the classic approach for this condition, mini-invasive endovascular occlusion has been recently attempted as an alternative less traumatic procedure. Children born to women with epilepsy are at increased risk of congenital malformations.

CASE PRESENTATION

A cardiovascular malformation in a 6-year-old white boy with prenatal exposure to carbamazepine is described. At birth, he underwent atrial-ventricular septal defects repair. At 6 years of age, he was diagnosed to have an aberrant aortopulmonary artery from the descending aorta. He presented with recurrent respiratory infections and no cardiovascular signs, but there was associated right upper lobe hyperperfusion. Collateral percutaneous plug embolization was performed because of risk for cardiorespiratory infections, pulmonary hypertension and atrioventricular dilatation. The post-releasing control showed a complete occlusion of the aberrant artery. A chest radiogram and computed tomography showed normalization of vascular pattern of his right lung at 9-months follow-up. No complications and no respiratory infections in the first follow-up year were observed. A good growth gain was obtained.

CONCLUSIONS

Plug embolization in an aortopulmonary collateral artery is an interesting alternative to surgery and is suitable for children with minor congenital heart disease and without severe respiratory and/or cardiovascular symptoms. Management and long-term pediatric multidisciplinary follow-up is recommended. Prenatal exposure to carbamazepine could be considered in the pathogenesis and diagnosis of the malformation.

Vascular plugs - A key companion to Interventionists - 'Just Plug it'

Vascular plugs are ideally suited to close extra-cardiac, high flowing vascular communications. The family of vascular plugs has expanded. Vascular plugs in general have a lower profile and the newer variants can be delivered even through a diagnostic catheter. These features make them versatile and easy to use. The Amplatzer vascular plugs are also used for closing intracardiac defects including coronary arterio-venous fistula and paravalvular leakage in an off-label fashion. In this review, the features of currently available vascular plugs are reviewed along with tips and tricks of using them in the cardiac catheterization laboratory.

Platelet-rich plasma for open meniscal repair in young patients: any benefit?

PURPOSE

Many studies have demonstrated that injection of various growth factors including platelet-derived growth factor could increase meniscal cell activity and stimulate repair. The purpose of this study was to augment repair and promote meniscal healing by the use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) within horizontal cleavage meniscal tears repaired via an open approach. The hypothesis was that the clinical outcomes and healing process would be improved using this meniscal healing augmentation technique.

METHODS

In this case-control study, 34 consecutive young patients underwent an open meniscal repair to treat symptomatic Grade 2 or Grade 3 horizontal meniscal tears [median age 28 years (13-40)]. The median time between the onset of symptoms and surgery was 11.5 months (6-50). In the first group (17 consecutive patients, Group 1), a standard open meniscal repair was performed. In the second group (17 consecutive patients, Group 2), the same surgical repair was performed, but platelet-rich plasma was introduced into the lesion at the end of the procedure. Clinical outcomes were evaluated using KOOS and IKDC 2000 scores. MRI was performed at 1 year after surgery for objective evaluation.

RESULTS

At a minimum of 24 months postoperatively (mean 32.2 months, 24-40), three patients underwent subsequent meniscectomy (two in Group 1, one in Group 2). The mean KOOS distribution (pain, symptoms, daily activities, sports, quality of life) was 78.4, 86.1, 93.8, 74.4, 74.6 in Group 1, and 93.3, 90.7, 97.1, 88.8, 78.3 in Group 2 (p < 0.05 for pain and sports parameters). MRI revealed five cases with the complete disappearance of any hypersignal within the repaired meniscus in Group 2, and none in Group 1 (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Open meniscal repair of horizontal tears extending into the avascular zone was effective at midterm follow-up in young patients. Clinical outcomes were slightly improved by the addition of PRP in this case-control study.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III.