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Updated: Jan 25, 2026
A Porcine Model of Acute Autologous Pulmonary Embolism
Published on: September 6, 2024
Percutaneous device embolization of an aneurysmal pulmonary artery in an infant weighing <3 kilograms
Kathryn Reynolds1, Gary Stapleton2, Carrie Herbert2
1Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, Saint Petersburg, Florida.
Insights
Pulmonary artery aneurysms (PAA) and pseudoaneurysms (PAP) in infants are rare and dangerous. This study shows successful percutaneous device closure of a PAP in a low-weight infant, offering a less invasive treatment option.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Pediatric Surgery
- Interventional Radiology
Background:
- Pulmonary artery aneurysms (PAA) and pseudoaneurysms (PAP) are rare in children, with high mortality risk from rupture.
- No standard treatment exists, and surgical interventions have high mortality rates.
Observation:
- A case of a premature infant (<3kg) with a pulmonary artery pseudoaneurysm (PAP) is presented.
- The PAP was located in the right lower pulmonary artery segmental branch.
Findings:
- Successful percutaneous device closure of the PAP was achieved using a 6-mm Amplatzer Vascular Plug 2.
- Imaging at 1 month showed >50% size reduction, with near-complete resolution at 14 months post-intervention.
Implications:
- Percutaneous device closure may be a viable alternative to open surgery for pediatric PAAs and PAPs.
- This represents the first reported successful device closure of a PAP in an infant weighing less than 3kg.
Abstract:
Pulmonary artery aneurysm (PAA) and pulmonary artery pseudoaneurysm (PAP) are rare diagnoses in the pediatric population and carry a high risk of mortality if rupture occurs. There is currently no standard therapeutic approach to PAAs and PAPs. Reports of surgical intervention describe high mortality. We present a case of an infant with a PAP that was successfully treated with a percutaneous device closure. Our approach included deployment of a 6-mm Amplatzer Vascular Plug 2 (Abbott, St. Paul, MN) in the right lower pulmonary artery segmental branch just proximal to the origin of the pseudoaneurysm. Subsequent imaging 1-month post-procedure demonstrated a >50% reduction in the size of the PAP when compared to original imaging studies and near-complete resolution 14 months following the intervention. Percutaneous device placement to occlude the vessel supplying peripheral PAAs and PAPs may be a reasonable alternative to open surgical resection when treating patients with this rare, but potentially life-threatening vascular anomaly. To our knowledge, this is the first case describing a successful device closure of a PAP in an infant weighing <3 kg.
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