Transient transcatheter balloon closure of patent foramen ovale following surgical repair of critical pulmonary stenosis.

Severe cyanosis resulting from postoperative atrial right-to-left shunt is a life-threatening complication. We present a technique of transient transcatheter balloon closure of a patent foramen ovale in a newborn operated on for critical pulmonary stenosis, where the foramen ovale had been left open intraoperatively. Cardiac catheterization was performed under echocardiographic control in the intensive care unit and the foramen ovale was occluded with a water-filled balloon-catheter. Significant improvement of arterial oxygen tension allowed delayed definitive surgical closure in a second step. Unfortunately, the child developed right-sided pneumothorax postoperatively and died of cardiopulmonary failure. Nevertheless, this procedure seems a suitable way to relieve atrial right-to-left shunt temporarily until definitive surgical closure can be performed.