Percutaneous balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty in children.

This report describes the results and follow-up of 27 patients undergoing pulmonary balloon valvuloplasty at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin where this procedure has been performed since 1985. The valvuloplasty data at catheterization as well as follow-up echocardiograms when available were retrospectively reviewed. For 26 patients, the transvalvar gradient changed from a mean of 72 mm Hg + 5.2 (SEM) to 29 mm Hg + 4.4 (SEM) (p 0.00001) a mean gradient reduction of 58%. No major complications were reported and no patient went on to surgical valvotomy. Follow up echocardiograms were available for 26 patients. Average estimated transvalvar pressure gradients by continuous wave Doppler echocardiography were 28 mm Hg at one day (13 patients), 20 mm Hg at mean 1.5 months (18 patients), 23 mm Hg at mean 8.8 months (12 patients), and 19 mm Hg at mean 26 months (8 patients). Percutaneous balloon valvuloplasty gives good results in nearly all patients with pulmonary valve stenosis.