Short- and midterm follow-up results of valvuloplasty with balloon catheter for congenital aortic stenosis.

OBJECTIVE To report short and midtem follow-up results of balloon aortic valvuloplasty to treat congenital aortic stenosis. METHODS Seventy-five patients (median age: 8 years) underwent the procedure through the retrograde femoral or carotid route. RESULTS The procedure was completed in 74 patients (98.6%). The peak-to-peak systolic gradient dropped from 79.6 27.7 to 22.3 17.8 mmHg (P<0.001), the left ventricular systolic pressure dropped from 164 39.1 to 110 24.8 mmHg (P<0.001), and the left ventricular end diastolic pressure dropped from 13.3 5.5 to 8.5 8.3 mmHg (P< 0.01). Four patients (5.3%) died due to the procedure. Aortic regurgitation (AoR) appeared or worsened in 27/71 (38%) patients, and no immediate surgical intervention was required. A mean follow-up of 50 38 months was obtained in 37 patients. Restenosis and significant AoR were observed in 16.6% of the patients. The estimates for being restenosis-free and for having significant AoR in 90 months were 60% and 50%, respectively. CONCLUSION Aortic valvuloplasty was considered the initial palliative method of choice in managing congenital aortic stenosis, with satisfactory short- and midterm results.