Coarctation of the aorta.

Coarctation of the aorta may seem to be a relatively simple lesion, but controversy persists about the optimal management strategy for this condition. A plethora of options are available, and strong evidence to guide clinical decision making is lacking. The age of the patient at presentation and anatomic variations have a significant effect on the type of therapy chosen and the outcome of intervention, which can include death, recurrence of obstruction, and persistent or late hypertension. The current trend in practice is to favor surgical repair in neonates and infants and transcatheter balloon dilation in older children and adults.