Occlusion of a patent ductus arteriosus using an Amplatzer vascular plug II in a kitten

A five-month-old kitten has been admitted to catheter assisted intravascular occlusion of a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). Considering the small size of the patient, and of the femoral artery, a transvenous approach through the femoral vein was attempted. The PDA could be successfully occluded using an embolization device called Amplatzer vascular plug II. This device can be deployed retrogradely through the venous system, using a catheter, that must be passed through the caudal vena cava, right atrium and ventricle, and pulmonary artery, reaching the PDA. The intervention was assisted by fluoroscopic and transesophageal echocardiographic guidance. The cat recovered uneventfully from the procedure, and it was discharged the following day. Transvenous embolization of PDA can be successfully performed also in small patients or animals with comparably small peripheral arteries, like cats.