Catheter-based treatment with the Amplatzer devices in alien positions

Case reports of patients with Amplatzer devices used in positions they have not been designed for have repeatedly been published.

We pooled our results to review the array of such interventions.

Retrospective study of twelve patients presented with eleven different problems: Two patients had hepatoatrial communication after Fontan's operation, two had different types of fistulae, two had surgical shunts, two had different anomalous systemic venous drainage, and two had an open arterial duct, one huge and hypertensive, the other with a very shallow ampulla. Finally, in one, a pulmonary artery was closed as a preparation for a bidirectional cavo-pulmonary anastomosis.

All communications were completely closed. As only complication a lesion of the anonymous vein causing haematothorax was noted when trying to access through a Gore-Tex membrane after puncture.

Such applications of Amplatzer devices in alien positions are estimated to be needed in 1 in 5-700 catheterizations. The results are good and the complications few.