Recent advances in the management of non-specific aorto-arteritis

Non-Specific Aorto-arteritis or Takayasu's arteritis (TA) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the aorta and its major branches which either presents with constitutional symptoms in its active phase or with steno-occlusive symptoms in the healing phase. In children, it is an aggressive disease and often lethal. Congestive heart failure is more common in children than adults. TA often goes undiagnosed till it is too late and death rate of 35% or more is observed in 5 years. Therapeutic Interventional Cardiology offers new hope and saves the children with TA from certain death. Today, percutaneous transluminar balloon angioplasty (PTBA) has emerged as a non-surgical, safe, effective alternative therapeutic option and endovascular stents have revolutionised the management. The disease must be suspected and diagnosed precisely with echocardiography and angiography before it is too late to manage.