Balloon angioplasty for congenital heart disease in Japan - Comprehensive analysis from the Japanese Society of Congenital Interventional Cardiology Registry.

BACKGROUND

Transcatheter angioplasty is an essential interventional procedure for congenital heart disease. However, in Japan, the lack of large high-pressure balloons and vascular stents limits treatment options. This study analyzes data from the Japanese Society of Congenital Interventional Cardiology registry (JCIC-R) to evaluate outcomes under these constraints and assess the need for device development.

METHODS

This study analyzed transcatheter balloon angioplasty cases recorded in the JCIC-R from 2016 to 2018. Patients were categorized into two groups according to the technique used: single-balloon (SB) and double-balloon (DB). Baseline characteristics, procedural details, effectiveness, and adverse events were compared. Effectiveness was assessed by pressure gradient and minimal lumen diameter (MLD) if recorded. A subgroup analysis focused on SB vs. DB techniques for large pulmonary artery stenosis with limited balloon availability. Propensity score matching was used to adjust for confounders.

RESULTS

There were 4,902 procedures in 2,766 patients (2016-2018) who underwent balloon angioplasty. Most (93.6 %) had SB, while 6.4 % had DB. DB was used in larger patients (22.4 kg vs 9.0 kg, p < 0.001) and larger lesions (39.4 % vs. 6.4 %, p < 0.001), with pulmonary arteries as the main target (66.2 %). Angioplasty balloons were the most used device (83.4 % of procedures); however, suboptimal balloon selection, including under-pressurized or under-sized, occurred in 7.9 % of cases. Serious adverse events were rare (1.3 %) with no significant difference between groups. In pulmonary arteries with pre-procedural MLD >6 mm, DB group showed a larger pre-procedural MLD (8.2 mm vs 7.3 mm, p = 0.003) and more severe stenosis (30 mmHg vs 17 mmHg, p = 0.011), requiring longer procedures (132 vs 108 minutes, p = 0.002). Despite differences, effective balloon dilation remained limited (23 % vs 29 %, p = 0.5).

CONCLUSION

Balloon angioplasty is widely used and relatively safe for congenital heart disease in Japan, but its effectiveness for larger lesions may improve with better access to high-pressure balloons and stents.