Interventional cardiac catheterization in infants weighing less than 2500 g

The aim of our study was to share our clinical experience regarding cases of interventional cardiac catheterization in low-weight infants. We retrospectively reviewed all interventional catheterizations performed in infants weighing 2500 g or less between March 2001 and October 2012. Twenty patients were included in the study. The procedures included balloon atrial septostomy in 8 patients, balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty in 7 patients, balloon aortic valvuloplasty in 3 patients and balloon angioplasty for coarctation in 2 patients. The mean age at catheterization was 11.9 ± 9.6 days (range, 1 to 31 days) and the mean weight, 2038 ± 480 g (range, 1100 to 2500 g). The mean procedure time was 80.3 ± 32 minutes, and the mean fluoroscopy time was 17.5 ± 12 minutes. Only two patients had no benefit from the intervention. One patient died at day 4 after catheterization, due to sepsis. Complications occurred in 3 patients: one patient developed atrial flutter and respiratory arrest, one patient developed apnea episodes, and one patient developed anemia that required transfusion. In conclusion, although studies investigating complications related to invasive cardiac catheterization in infants weighing less than 2500 g have reported increased complication rates, such complications were less likely to result in permanent sequelae. We did not observe significant complications related to the procedure; therefore, we would like to suggest that invasive cardiac catheterization can appropriately be performed in low-weight infants.