Use of percutaneous carotid artery access for performing pediatric cardiac interventions: Single-center study

Carotid artery (CA) access allows a more straight route for many left heart lesions. This has previously been achieved via a surgical cut-down approach in certain pediatric cardiac interventions. However, there are little data considering CA access in pediatric cases, percutaneously.

We hypothesized that there would be notable improvements in efficiency as well as overall success when using the CA for access in selected cases.

Between November 2016 and January 2019, records of patients undergoing attempted percutaneous CA access under ultrasound guidance for cardiac catheterization were reviewed.

Thirty patients underwent 36 catheterizations; median age 17 days (range, 6 days-9 months) and median weight 3.2 kg (1.2-7.8). Procedures performed were stenting or stent redilatation of the patent ductus arteriosus in 23, stenting or angioplasty of modified Blalock-Taussig shunts in four, aortic valvuloplasty in three, angioplasty for coarctation of the aorta in four, renal angioplasty in one, and diagnostic catheterization in one case. The intended intervention was unsuccessful in two patients despite successful CA access. Follow-up imaging showed a normal carotid in 28 of 30 (94%), with mild luminal narrowing with normal Doppler velocities in two instances. No patient had clinically apparent neurological sequelae attributable to CA access.

Our data indicate that CA access should be employed when dealing with a select group of infants requiring vertical approach for left-sided cardiac lesions. Percutaneous CA access, even in very small preterm infants, is safe and feasible with negligible vascular injury and no neurological adverse events.