[Pulmonary valvuloplasty. Long term results at the Centro Medico la Raza]

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the immediate and long term results of pulmonary valve ballon dilation, and to determine the prognostic factors of failure in 109 patients (60 female and 49 male), aged 7.04 +/- 8.4 years. Seventy two patients (66.1%) had isolated valvular stenosis and 33.9% presented associated lesions. Peak systolic pressure gradient across the pulmonary valve decreased from 89.53 +/- 37.23 to 20.8 +/- 19.41 mmHg (p < 0.0001) after valvuloplasty. Forty three patients developed reactive infundibular stenosis after valvuloplasty with a systolic gradient of 19.65 +/- 35.64 mmHg. At a mean period of 8 years of follow-up the pressure gradient was 20.75 +/- 14.32 (p < 0.001). Valvuloplasty was successful in 86.2% of the cases with a global mortality of 1.9%, minor complications in 15.2%, and a failure rate of 13.8%. At follow-up restenosis developed in 6.7%. The comparative analysis between the groups of success and failure yield as significant risk factors for failure an age younger than 3.5 years and a pulmonary valve with displastic (p < 0.05) or combined morphology (p < 0.05). This group had also more complications and higher systolic gradients and right ventricular pressures post-dilation (p < 0.05). Pulmonary valvuloplasty is a safe and effective procedure for the treatment of pulmonary valve stenosis with a good immediate and long-term results, and is now considered the treatment of choice.