Percutaneous balloon angioplasty. Treatment for congenital coarctation of the aorta and congenital valval pulmonic stenosis.

We performed percutaneous balloon angioplasties in five patients who had congenital coarctation of the aorta (six procedures) and in five patients who had congenital valval pulmonic stenosis. In the patients with coarctation, the systolic BP difference across the coarctation decreased an average of 39 mm Hg (range, 32 to 44 mm Hg) and the mean BP difference decreased an average of 21 mm Hg (range, 19 to 27 mm Hg). The diameter of the coarcted area increased an average of 5 mm (range, 3 to 8 mm). In the patients with valval pulmonic stenosis, the systolic BP difference across the pulmonary valve decreased an average of 17 mm Hg (range, 0 to 20 mm Hg) in the resting state and decreased an average of 33 mm Hg (range, 19 to 56 mm Hg) in a state of isoproterenol hydrochloride-induced stress. This form of therapy offers an alternative to surgery in selected patients.