SELF-EXPANDING STENTS IN CONGENITAL HEART-DISEASE

Objectives-To show potential indications for and clinical use of self expanding stents in patients with congenital heart disease. Design-Des criptive study of selected, non-randomised patients with balloon expan dable but persistent stenoses in whom the use of a balloon expandable stent was considered suboptimal or impossible. Setting-A tertiary refe rral centre. Patients-10 patients, aged 15 days to 32 years. Six patie nts after atriopulmonary or cavopulmonary anastomosis, two with pulmon ary atresia and multiple aortopulmonary collaterals, one with coarctat ion of the aorta, and one with congenital pulmonary venous stenosis. R esults-Successful, uncomplicated, placement of 10 stents with the desi red haemodynamic results, even in tortuous vessels with many stenoses. Conclusions-Self expanding stents have a role in the treatment of pat ients with congenital heart disease. They should be considered when a smaller delivery system and flexibility would aid placement, or in the treatment of long or multiple sequential stenoses.