Prograde transcatheter aortic arch intervention in patients with single-ventricle physiology: a word of caution

We sought to review and analyze the hemodynamic derangements during prograde transcatheter aortic intervention (PTAI) in single ventricle patients.

Although PTAI for postsurgical recurrent coarctation in single ventricle patients has been described; hemodynamic instability during the intervention is variably reported.

Pre-, intra-, and postprocedural records and outcomes of patients with SVP undergoing PTAI for post-Norwood aortic coarctation were retrospectively reviewed. The full disclosure waveform review was used to further categorize hemodynamic derangements during the intervention.

A total of 26 PTAIs were performed in 11 patients between October 2007 and December 2013. The median age and weight was 4.2 (2.3-43) months and 5.3 (3.2-15.7) kg. PTAI included balloon angioplasty (BA) in 73% of procedures (n = 19) and stent implantation (SI) in 27% (n = 7). Hemodynamic derangement was more severe in the SI group compared with the BA group. Two of seven (29%) of the SI group required cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Hemodynamic instability during PTAI is common in patients with SVP and more profound during SI. These findings have important implications for informed consent, anesthetic considerations, inotropic support, additional central venous access, and extracorporeal support/surgical backup.