Stent implantation for relief of pulmonary artery stenosis: immediate and short-term results.

Our objective was to assess the immediate and short-term results of stent implantation to relieve pulmonary artery stenosis (PAS). Thirty-seven patients underwent an attempt at stent implantation at a median age of 7.0 years (range, 0.8-31.4 years) and a median weight of 20.5 kg (range, 7.4-85 kg). Twenty-two patients had previous tetralogy of Fallot repair. A total of 55 stents were implanted successfully in 36 patients. The peak systolic gradient across the stenotic segment decreased from a mean of 43 +/- 20.4 mmHg prestent to 13 +/- 13.9 mmHg (P < 0.001) poststent. The diameter of the narrowest segment increased from a mean of 4.8 +/- 1.6 mm to 10.5 +/- 2.6 mm (P < 0.001). The right ventricular-to-aortic mean systolic pressure ratio decreased from 0.74 +/- 0.2 to 0.52 +/- 0.19 (P < 0.001). Complications included balloon rupture prior to full stent expansion in 4 patients (in 2 patients the stent was positioned in the superior vena cava, and in 2 in the inferior vena cava), distal migration of a stent which was successfully retrieved at surgery 1 mo later in 1 patient, and tethering of the stent to the balloon requiring surgical removal in 1 patient. One patient died several hours after stent placement. Sixteen patients underwent repeat catheterization at a mean follow-up interval of 0.9 +/- 0.5 years (range, 0.2-2.0 years). The mean gradient across the stent for these 16 patients was 26.7 +/- 19.8 mmHg, and there was no change in the mean diameter (9.4 +/- 3.2 mm). Two patients developed stenosis related to neointimal proliferation at the stent site which was redilated successfully. In conclusion, stent implantation is generally safe and effective in relieving PAS.