[Experiences with the Rashkind duct occluder]

In five patients, aged from 34 to 64 years, a persistent ductus arteriosus was occluded transvenously with a Rashkind umbrella occluder. The diameter of the ductus ranged from 3.6 to 9 mm, the pulmonary artery pressure ranged from 20/4 to 55/25 mm Hg. Four patients had calcifications of the ductus wall. In one patient with a very large ductus a first occluder embolized into the pulmonary artery and was removed together with the introducer sheath. The ductus was occluded with a second umbrella. However, there was a residual shunt in this patient. In all other patients the procedure was successful without residual shunt.