Pediatric interventional cardiology: 2009

Pediatric interventional cardiology has evolved quite dramatically over the past few decades and now, in 2009, the published literature continues to evolve new percutaneous strategies for managing patients with congenital heart disease, both simple and complex. Our goal for this review was to highlight new techniques and the new devices available to the pediatric interventional cardiologist, and to review the outcomes from past endeavors.

Manuscripts published in the past year continue to demonstrate innovation; indicating an exciting and increasing experience of transcatheter treatment of septal communications using either new occluder devices or novel techniques. Bioabsorbable devices and percutaneously implanted valves are leading examples of technological improvements and creativity that will ultimately improve patient outcomes while minimizing invasiveness. Reports on procedural outcomes show technically safe early follow-up, with promising mid-term and long-term results for balloon valvuloplasty, balloon atrial septostomy and pulmonary artery stent implantation. As well, fetal and hybrid interventions have become important new arenas for the pediatric interventionist.

Pediatric interventions have grown far beyond the early stages of the 1980s as mid-term and long-term outcome data are being reported, and many previously insurmountable hurdles have been overcome by developing new strategies and devices.