Balloon dilation of native aortic coarctation in infancy.

Balloon dilation of aortic coarctation in neonates and infants remains controversial. Between 2/1985 and 8/1999, 80 patients <12 months of age, with native aortic coarctation underwent balloon dilation. The systolic pressure gradient across the stenosed area was reduced significantly acutely from a mean of 45.6+/-19.4 mmHg to 17.9+/-13.8 mmHg. In 55 (68.8%) patients, the procedure was initially successful with a residual gradient of <20 mmHg. In 12.5% of patients, intimal tears were detected after dilation. In 21.3% of patients, obstruction of the femoral artery occurred, which responded to heparin or streptokinase in all. Two patients developed aneuryms immediately after the first intervention. In 1 case, surgery was performed with a successful aneurysmectomy. Severe complications or death in relation to the procedure were not detected. Long-term follow-up was obtained in 66 of 80 (82.5%) patients in a period between 6 to 174 months (median 29 months). In 22/66 (33%) of the infants, within a mean period of 10.9+/-15.2 months after first intervention, a redilation was necessary. Sixteen of 22 were successful procedures. In the remaining six patients, surgery was performed electively. A total of 30/66 who had follow-up (45%) patients remained free from reintervention or surgery after the first procedure. Further analysis of the data according to age showed that neonates and infants < or =3 months of age had a 90% and 62% higher residual stenosis rate, respectively, than infants >3 months. In this young age group, balloon dilation can only be recommended as palliation in young infants with severe left venticular dysfunction or in the case surgery is prohibitive for other reasons.