Emergency palliation of critical valvular aortic stenosis. A new application of prostaglandin E1.

Prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) was administered by continuous infusion to a critically III 3-day-old infant with severe stenosis of the aortic valve. A beneficial response was evidenced by increases in systemic BP, pulses, perfusion, urinary output, and arterial pH. The infusion of PGE1 improved and stabilized the infant's condition so that cardiac catheterization and surgery could be performed. Successful aortic valvulotomy was performed with continued PGE1 infusion. To out knowledge, this report is the first to describe a patient in whom PGE1 was used successfully for palliation of critical aortic valvular stenosis.