Risk of recoarctation should not be a deciding factor in the timing of coarctation repair

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 25, 2026

Echocardiographic Evaluation of Atrial Communications before Transcatheter Closure
07:41

Echocardiographic Evaluation of Atrial Communications before Transcatheter Closure

Published on: February 8, 2022

Jeffrey M Pearl1, Peter B Manning, Cheri Franklin

  • 1Division of Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery, Children's Hospital Medical Center, and the Department of Surgery, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229, USA. pearj0@chmcc.org

The American Journal of Cardiology
|March 17, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Early coarctation repair shows a low risk of recoarctation. Most infants undergoing this procedure avoid late reintervention, indicating favorable outcomes for pediatric heart surgery.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Pediatric Cardiac Surgery
  • Congenital Heart Disease

Background:

  • Coarctation of the aorta is a congenital heart defect requiring surgical repair.
  • Concerns exist regarding the long-term risk of recoarctation after early repair in infants.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the incidence of recoarctation and need for reintervention after early coarctation repair.
  • To assess the safety and efficacy of modern surgical techniques for coarctation of the aorta in pediatric patients.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective review of 120 patients who underwent isolated coarctation repair.
  • Analysis of patient data including age at repair, follow-up duration, and reintervention rates.

Main Results:

  • No late reoperations were performed in the cohort.
  • Two patients (1.7% overall) required balloon aortoplasty for recoarctation.
  • The incidence of reintervention in infants under one year old was 2.4% (2 of 83).

Conclusions:

  • Early coarctation repair in the modern era is associated with a low risk of late reintervention.
  • Infants undergoing coarctation repair demonstrate favorable outcomes with minimal need for subsequent procedures.
  • Current surgical approaches provide durable results for pediatric coarctation of the aorta.

More Related Videos

Closure of a Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO): An Intervention Sequence10:52

Closure of a Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO): An Intervention Sequence

Published on: December 23, 2022

Related Concept Videos

Aneurysm III: Interprofessional Care01:26

Aneurysm III: Interprofessional Care

Aneurysm management involves either conservative medical therapy or surgical intervention, depending on the size and symptoms of the aneurysm. Conservative management is generally reserved for smaller, asymptomatic aneurysms, while larger or symptomatic aneurysms often necessitate surgical repair.Conservative Medical TherapyFor small, asymptomatic aneurysms, particularly abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) less than 5.5 centimeters in diameter, conservative medical therapy is recommended. This...
Aortic Regurgitation III: Medical Management01:25

Aortic Regurgitation III: Medical Management

Aortic regurgitation (AR) is when the aortic valve does not close or seal properly, leading to backward blood circulation from the aorta into the left ventricle during diastole. Common causes of AR include rheumatic heart disease, congenital valve defects, and aortic root dilation. Managing AR requires a multifaceted approach to alleviate symptoms, preserve left ventricular function, and address the underlying cause of the regurgitation. Patients with symptomatic AR or significant left...