Surgical intervention for complications of transcatheter dilation procedures in congenital heart disease

Background. Transcatheter interventions have assumed an important role in t he management of many forms of congenital heart disease. While complication s of transcatheter interventions are uncommon and usually minor, significan t complications requiring operation do occur on occasion. The purpose of th is report is to present our experiences with seven such complications, and to review the literature on this topic. Methods. Seven patients who required operation after a transcatheter dilati on procedure between 1992 and 1998 are described. Three patients required r etrieval of retained foreign bodies (stents or balloons), and repair of the underlying abnormality. Two patients underwent repair of fistulas between 2 great vessels, or a great vessel and a cardiac chamber. One patient requi red operation for a postdilation aneurysm. One patient underwent urgent rep air of severe aortic regurgitation after balloon aortic valvuloplasty. Results, All patients survived and are doing well,with no further need for catheter or operative intervention, from 8 months to 6 years after operatio n. additional reported complications requiring operation are discussed as w ell. Conclusions, Operation for complications of catheter interventions in conge nital heart disease is seldom nec essary. Though uncommon, a variety of suc h complications may occur, including vascular, valvar, intracardiac, and fo reign body complications. When operation is required, results are typically very good. (C) 2000 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.