Partial and transient relief of conduit obstruction by low-pressure balloon dilation in patients with congenital heart disease.

Seven patients underwent attempted low pressure balloon dilation of stenotic conduits or homografts from right ventricle to pulmonary artery (n = 5), in the aortic valve position (n = 1), or from right atrium to left pulmonary artery (n = 1). In the right ventricle to pulmonary artery group, mean gradient reduction was only 17%. At follow-up, two patients underwent surgical conduit replacement, one had a stent implanted at cardiac catheterization, the other two are awaiting surgical intervention. The patient with a homograft in the aortic valve position had a good initial result but restenosed within 1 year and underwent a pulmonary autograft operation. The patient with the Fontan homograft stenosis had transient obstruction relief but subsequently required stent implantation. Low-pressure balloon dilation of conduits or homografts is only partially and transiently successful. Whether stent implantation will offer better long-term results remains to be determined.