Dilatable pulmonary artery band: Safety and efficacy of balloon dilatation

Review early and midterm results of dilatable pulmonary artery band (PAB).

PAB is performed in various conditions: as a transient stage before ventricular septal defect (VSD) closure, as a palliative procedure for multiple VSD or to prepare the left ventricle (LV) before switch or double switch operations in transposition of the great artery (TGA) or congenitally corrected transposition of great arteries (CCTGA).

All children with dilatation of PAB were reviewed. Reason for PAB and for cardiac catheterization, hemodynamics, and outcomes were analyzed.

Between 2002 and 2014, 28 patients were identified. Reason for interventional dilatation of the PAB was supra systemic right ventricular (RV) pressure in four patients, aortic recoarctation in one patient, cyanosis in seven patients, RV failure in one patient, suprasystemic LV pressure in two CCTGA patients and spontaneous closure of VSD in other patients. All patients underwent successful balloon dilatation using high (n = 21) or low pressure balloons with a mean diameter of 12 mm. 23 Patients had no further interventions. Five patients had reintervention: one needed two dilatations of PAB and four had surgery (one double switch, one vicious pulmonary artery (PA) band removal, one in a context of severe RV dysfunction with tricuspid regurgitation, and one for VSD closure). One patient died of RV failure following surgery.

Balloon dilatation of dilatable PAB carries good results with achievement of hemodynamic aim in most of the cases and definitive treatment in the majority of patients. Careful and sequential dilatation with shunt measurement is mandatory in patients with significantly residual VSD. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.