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Background: The modified Blalock-Taussig-Thomas shunt is the gold standard palliation for securing pulmonary blood flow in infants with ductal-dependent pulmonary blood flow. Recently, the ductus arteriosus stent (DAS) has become a viable alternative., Methods and Results: This was a retrospective multicenter study of neonates ≤30 days undergoing DAS or Blalock-Taussig-Thomas shunt placement between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2020 at hospitals reporting to the Pediatric Health Information Systems database. We performed generalized linear mixed-effects modeling to evaluate trends in intervention and intercenter variation, propensity score adjustment and inverse probability weighting with linear mixed-effects modeling to analyze length of stay and cost of hospitalization, and generalized linear mixed modeling to analyze differences in 30-day outcomes. There were 1874 subjects (58% male, 61% White) from 45 centers (29% DAS). Odds of DAS increased with time (odds ratio [OR] 1.23, annually, P <0.01 [95% CI, 1.10-1.38]) with significant intercenter variation (median OR, 3.81 [95% CI, 2.74-5.91]). DAS was associated with shorter hospital length of stay (ratio of geometric means, 0.76 [95% CI, 0.63-0.91]), shorter intensive care unit length of stay (ratio of geometric means, 0.77 [95% CI, 0.61-0.97]), and less expensive hospitalization (ratio of geometric means, 0.70 [95% CI, 0.56-0.87]). Intervention was not significantly associated with odds of 30-day transplant-free survival (OR,1.18 [95% CI, 0.70-1.99]) or freedom from catheter reintervention (OR, 1.02 [95% CI, 0.65-1.58]), but DAS was associated with 30-day freedom from composite adverse outcome (OR, 1.51 [95% CI, 1.11-2.05])., Conclusions: Use of DAS is increasing, but there is variability across centers. Though odds of transplant-free survival and reintervention were not significantly different after DAS, and DAS was associated with shorter length of stay and lower in-hospital costs.

Competing Interests: Funding Support and Author Disclosures Dr Stapleton is a proctor for Edwards Lifesciences; and is a consultant for Medtronic. Dr Qureshi is a consultant for W.L. Gore, Abiomed Inc. and Associates, Edwards Lifesciences, and Medtronic. All other authors have reported that they have no relationships relevant to the contents of this paper to disclose.

This article reviews the physiology of the ductus arteriosus, the pathophysiology of the patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), and the role advanced imaging such as computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can play in guiding diagnosis and percutaneous or surgical intervention. A PDA can have variable clinical and radiologic presentations and can be important to characterize in patients with vascular rings, aortic maldevelopment and congenital heart disease. An understanding of the PDA and the application of CT and MRI can allow the radiologist to provide key information to physicians who plan to close a PDA or maintain PDA patency in the setting of ductal-dependent congenital heart disease., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Recurrent laryngeal nerve injury leading to vocal cord paralysis is a known complication of cardiothoracic surgery. Its occurrence during interventional catheterisation procedures has been documented in case reports, but there have been no studies to determine an incidence., Objective: To establish the incidence of left recurrent laryngeal nerve injury leading to vocal cord paralysis after left pulmonary artery stenting, patent ductus arteriosus device closure and the combination of the procedures either consecutively or simultaneously., Methods: Members of the Congenital Cardiovascular Interventional Study Consortium were asked to perform a retrospective analysis to identify cases of recurrent laryngeal nerve injury after the aforementioned procedures. Twelve institutions participated in the analysis. They also contributed the total number of each procedure performed at their respective institutions for statistical purposes., Results: Of the 1337 patients who underwent left pulmonary artery stent placement, six patients (0.45%) had confirmed vocal cord paralysis. 4001 patients underwent patent ductus arteriosus device closure, and two patients (0.05%) developed left vocal cord paralysis. Patients who underwent both left pulmonary artery stent placement and patent ductus arteriosus device closure had the highest incidence of vocal cord paralysis which occurred in 4 of the 26 patients (15.4%). Overall, 92% of affected patients in our study population had resolution of symptoms., Conclusion: Recurrent laryngeal nerve injury is a rare complication of left pulmonary artery stent placement or patent ductus arteriosus device closure. However, the incidence is highest in patients undergoing both procedures either consecutively or simultaneously. Additional research is necessary to determine contributing factors that might reduce the risk of recurrent laryngeal nerve injury.

Background: Morbidity with surgical systemic-to-pulmonary artery shunting (SPS) in infants ≤2.5 kg has remained high. Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) stenting may be a valid alternative. The objective of this study is to evaluate outcomes following PDA stenting in patients ≤2.5 kg from four large tertiary centers., Methods: Retrospective review of all neonates ≤2.5 kg with duct-dependent pulmonary circulation who underwent PDA stenting. Procedural details, pulmonary arterial growth, reinterventions, surgery type, and outcomes were assessed., Results: PDA stents were implanted in 37 of 38 patients attempted (18 female) at a median procedural weight of 2.2 kg (interquartile range [IQR], 2-2.4 kg). Seven patients (18%) had a genetic abnormality and 16 (42%) had associated comorbidities. The median intensive care unit stay was 4 days (IQR, 2-6.75 days), and the median hospital stay was 20 days (IQR, 16-57.25). One patient required a rescue shunt procedure, with three others requiring early SPS (<30 days postprocedure). Twenty patients (54%) required reintervention with either balloon angioplasty, restenting, or both. At 6-month follow-up, right pulmonary artery growth (median z-score -1.16 to 0.01, p = 0.05) was greater than the left pulmonary artery (median z-score -0.9 to -0.64, p = 0.35). Serious adverse effects (SAEs) were seen in 18% (N = 7) of our cohort. One patient developed an SAE during planned reintervention There were no intraprocedural deaths, with one early procedure-related mortality, and three interstage mortalities not directly related to PDA stenting., Conclusions: PDA stenting in infants ≤2.5 kg is feasible and effective, promoting pulmonary artery growth. Reintervention rates are relatively high, though many are planned to allow for optimal growth before a definitive operation., (© 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) stenting is an accepted method for securing pulmonary blood flow in cyanotic neonates. In neonates with pulmonary atresia and single source ductal-dependent pulmonary blood flow (SSPBF), PDA stenting remains controversial. We sought to evaluate outcomes in neonates with SSPBF, comparing PDA stenting and surgical Blalock-Taussig shunt (BTS). Neonates with SSPBF who underwent PDA stenting or BTS at the four centers of the Congenital Catheterization Research Collaborative from January 2008 to December 2015 were retrospectively reviewed. Reintervention on the BTS or PDA stent prior to planned surgical repair served as the primary endpoint. Additional analyses of peri-procedural complications, interventions, and pulmonary artery growth were performed. A propensity score was utilized to adjust for differences in factors. Thirty-five patients with PDA stents and 156 patients with BTS were included. The cohorts had similar baseline characteristics, procedural complications, and mortality. Interstage reintervention rates were higher in the PDA stent cohort (48.6% vs. 15.4%, p < 0.001)., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

To this day, controversy still exists regarding the optimal method to treat symptomatic neonates and infants with Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF). Symptomatic (severely cyanotic or ductal dependent) infants with TOF can undergo either a staged repair approach (consisting of initial palliation followed by complete repair) or primary repair. Traditionally, initial palliative procedures have been surgical, for example placement of a Blalock-Taussig-Thomas (BTT) shunt. Recent advances in technology have facilitated the introduction of catheter-based procedures as palliative techniques, for example, patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) stenting and right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) stenting as more durable solutions than balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty (BPV). In this article, we discuss the rationale for these procedures, technical aspects of these procedures and outcomes data compared to traditional surgical procedures. Recent data have suggested that RVOT and PDA stenting procedures offer many advantages over traditional surgical palliative procedures as palliative methods in this patient population. This comes at a cost of increased reintervention burden, which may be considered part of the overall treatment strategy in smaller neonates and can be minimized with a focus on technical aspects and overall treatment strategies. Advanced surgical techniques are required at the eventual complete repair to negotiate removal of stent material and pulmonary artery reconstruction in some instances. Further adoption of catheter based palliative procedures for infants with symptomatic TOF has the potential to tip the outcomes towards favoring a staged approach, particularly in high-risk infants., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Stenting of the patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is an established palliative option for infants with ductal-dependent pulmonary blood flow. Following initial palliation, reintervention on the PDA stent is common, but risk factors have not been characterized., Methods: Infants with ductal-dependent pulmonary blood flow palliated with PDA stent between 2008 and 2015 were reviewed within the Congenital Cardiac Research Collaborative. Rates and risk factors for reintervention were analyzed., Results: Among 105 infants who underwent successful PDA stenting, 41 patients (39%) underwent a total of 53 reinterventions on the PDA stent, with all but one occurring within 6 months of the initial intervention. Stent redilation constituted the majority of reintervention (n=35; 66%) followed by additional stent placement (n=11; 21%) and surgical shunt placement (n=7; 13%). The majority of reintervention was nonurgent, and there were no deaths during the reintervention procedure. All but one reintervention occurred within 6 months of the initial procedure. On univariate analysis, risk factors for reintervention included anticipated single-ventricle physiology, lack of prior balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty, use of drug-eluting stent, and increased ductal tortuosity., Conclusions: In infants with ductal-dependent pulmonary blood flow palliated with PDA stent implantation, reintervention is common, can be performed safely, and is associated with both anatomic/procedural factors and anticipated final physiology.

Background: Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) stent placement in infants with ductal-dependent pulmonary blood flow is being increasingly used in clinical practice., Objective: To correlate computed tomographic (CT) angiography morphology and length of the PDA with catheter angiography and its relation to eventual PDA stent length., Materials and Methods: We retrospectively identified all pediatric patients who underwent PDA stenting at our institute from 2004 to 2018. We included children who had CT angiography prior to stenting. PDA length was measured by a radiologist blinded to the catheter angiography data, using Syngo-via post-processing software (Siemens, Erlangen, Germany). Vessel centerline technique was used. We measured the actual length of the duct as well as straight length between aortic and pulmonary ends. PDA morphology tortuosity index was classified as straight (Type I), mildly tortuous with 1 turn (Type II) and tortuous with >1 turn (Type III), and the PDA origin was noted. The PDA was also measured and morphology classified on catheter angiography by an interventional cardiologist blinded to the CT angiography findings. We compared the CT angiography and catheter angiography lengths, straight lengths and stent length using scatter plots and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC)., Results: A total of 83 children who had PDA stenting were identified, of whom 17 had prior CT angiography. Fifteen of these were neonates. There was agreement between CT angiography and catheter angiography regarding the PDA morphology tortuosity index in 94% of cases and PDA origin in 100% of cases. There was moderate agreement between CT angiography and catheter angiography actual and straight PDA lengths, with ICC coefficients of 0.65 and 0.68, respectively. There was moderate agreement between CT angiography actual length, CT angiography straight length, catheter angiography actual length and eventual stented PDA length, with ICCs of 0.57, 0.67 and 0.73, respectively. There was poor agreement between catheter angiography straight length and eventual stented PDA length, with an ICC of 0.39., Conclusion: PDA length and morphology description on CT angiography correlates well with catheter angiography and can be a reliable guide for the interventional cardiologist in decision-making regarding appropriate choice of PDA stent length.

Background: Carotid artery (CA) and axillary artery (AA) access are increasingly used for transcatheter stenting of the patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), although reports are limited., Methods: The Congenital Catheterization Research Collaborative (CCRC) reviewed multicenter data from infants who underwent PDA stenting via the CA or AA approach from 2008 to 2017, and compared outcomes to those of infants undergoing PDA stenting via the femoral artery (FA) approach. Post-procedure ultrasound (US) imaging was reviewed., Results: Forty-nine infants underwent PDA stenting from the CA (n = 43) or AA (n = 6) approach, compared with 55 infants who underwent PDA stenting from the FA approach. The PDA was the sole pulmonary blood flow (PBF) source in 61% of infants in the CA/AA cohort, compared with 33% of the FA cohort (p < .01). Ductal tortuosity for CA/AA cohort was Type I (straight) in 10 (20%), Type II (one turn) in 17 (35%), and Type III (multiple turns) in 22 (45%) infants and reflected a greater degree of tortuosity when compared to the FA cohort (p < .01). In 17 infants with CA/AA approach, the "flip technique" was used, and was associated with shorter procedure times for highly tortuous PDA (Type III) patients. Rates of procedural complications were similar across access sites. Most common complications were access site injury (thrombus or bleeding) and stent malposition. No complications were specifically related to the "flip technique.", Conclusions: Use of CA and AA approach for PDA stenting was found to be more commonly employed in sole source PBF and highly tortuous PDAs. Procedural modifications such as the "flip technique" may lead to shorter procedure times. CA and AA approaches are associated with a similar burden of procedural or late complications. Post-procedural surveillance of the CA and AA is suggested, given the incidence of vascular findings on US., (© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Purpose of Review: To review the most recent literature on pediatric transcatheter ductal intervention including ductus arteriosus occlusion and stenting., Recent Findings: With the development and FDA approval of smaller ductal devices, including most recently the Amplatzer Piccolo Occluder (Abbott, Abbott Park, IL), transcatheter ductus arteriosus device closure is now being safely performed in premature infants and patients < 6 kg using a transvenous approach. In patients with ductus-dependent pulmonary blood flow, ductal stenting with pre-mounted coronary artery stents has been shown to be an acceptable alternative to the surgically placed Blalock-Taussig shunt. Centers with experience in ductal stenting have demonstrated success, even with the tortuous ductus. Innovation in transcatheter device technology and procedural practices have allowed for significant advances. Transcatheter ductal device closure is a reasonable alternative to surgical ligation even in premature, low-birthweight infants. Ductal stenting is also an accepted alternative to the modified Blalock-Taussig shunt. We anticipate continued advancement and procedural refinement over the next several years.

There have been no clinical studies evaluating the use of drug-eluting stents (DES) versus bare metal stents (BMS) for infants who underwent ductus arteriosus (DA) stent placement for ductal-dependent pulmonary blood flow (PBF). We aimed to compare the use of second-generation (fluoropolymer-coated everolimus) DES to BMS in infants who underwent DA stenting for ductal-dependent PBF. A retrospective study of infants who underwent DA stenting for ductal-dependent PBF from January 2004 to March 2018 at a single tertiary care pediatric hospital was performed. Of 94 infants identified, 71 (46 BMS and 25 DES) met inclusion criteria. Baseline characteristics of the DES and BMS cohorts were comparable. The patent lumen to stent diameter on subsequent angiographic evaluation was 81% in DES as compared with 50% in BMS group; p = 0.01. There were 2 deaths early in our experience, both in the BMS group. Unplanned reinterventions were less in the DES group (3, 12% patients) compared with the BMS group (13, 28%), p = 0.03. Pulmonary artery size as assessed using Nakata and pulmonary artery symmetry index was comparable in both the groups. There was no difference in infection rates between the groups. On multivariate analysis, prematurity, BMS, and lower oxygen saturations at discharge were associated with subsequent unplanned reintervention (p = 0.01, 0.03 and 0.03, respectively). In conclusion, our clinical experience suggests that in infants who underwent DA stenting for ductal-dependent PBF, (fluoropolymer-coated everolimus eluting) DES results in less luminal loss and lower unplanned reintervention for cyanosis as compared with BMS implantation., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: We aimed to assess the experience using a percutaneous axillary artery approach for insertion of arterial ductal stents in patients with critical right ventricular outflow tract lesions at two tertiary pediatric cardiology centers., Background: Patent ductus arteriosus stenting is an accepted palliative alternative to BT shunts for neonates with critical right heart lesions. Access to tortuous ductus' may be challenging via the femoral artery, whereas the carotid artery presents a low risk of stroke. Recently, the axillary artery has been utilized for access in these patients., Methods: We performed a retrospective review of neonates who underwent stent placement or angioplasty using percutaneous axillary artery approach at two tertiary care centers from October 2016 to November 2018. Medical records were reviewed to ascertain demographic, clinical, and outcome data., Results: Axillary artery access was performed in 20 patients (16 primary ductal stents and 4 re-interventions) at a median (IQR) procedural weight of 3.4 (3-3.9) kg. Median (IQR) procedural time was 110 (75-150) min. The median (IQR) ICU stay and intubation times were 14 (0-94) hr and 5 (0-40) hr, respectively. There were three access-related vascular complications which were managed conservatively with no long-term effects. Two patients subsequently died due to non-procedure related causes., Conclusions: Ductal stenting via a percutaneous axillary artery approach is a viable option in neonates with critical right ventricular outflow tract lesions. This approach provides an additional access site for PDA stenting which may be utilized in patients with vertical duct morphology., (© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Objectives: To devise a classification scheme for ductal morphology in patients with ductal dependent pulmonary blood flow (PBF) that can be used to assess outcomes., Background: The impact of ductal morphology on outcomes following patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) stenting is not well defined., Methods: Patients <1 year of age who underwent PDA stenting for ductal dependent PBF at the four centers comprising the Congenital Catheterization Research Collaborative (CCRC) were included. A classification scheme for PDA morphology was devised based on a tortuosity index (TI)-Type I (straight), Type II (one turn), and Type III (multiple turns). A subtype classification was used based upon the ductal origin., Results: One hundred and five patients underwent PDA stenting. TI was Type I in 58, Type II in 24, and Type III in 23 PDAs, respectively. There was a significant association between ductal origin and vascular access site (p < 0.001). Procedure times and need for >1 stent did not differ based on TI. Greater TI was associated with pulmonary artery (PA) jailing (p = 0.003). Twelve (11.4%) patients underwent unplanned reintervention, more commonly with greater TI (p = 0.022) and PA jailing (p < 0.001). At the time of subsequent surgical repair/palliative staging, PA arterioplasty was performed in 32 patients, more commonly when a PA was jailed (p = 0.048). PA jailing did not affect PA size at follow up., Conclusions: The proposed qualitative and quantitative PDA morphology classification scheme may be helpful in anticipating outcomes in patients with ductal dependent PBF undergoing PDA stenting., (© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Background: In infants with ductal-dependent pulmonary blood flow, initial palliation with patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) stent or modified Blalock-Taussig (BT) shunt have comparable mortality but discrepant length of stay, procedural complication rates and reintervention burdens, which may influence cost. The relative economic impact of these palliation strategies is unknown., Methods and Results: Retrospective study of infants with ductal-dependent pulmonary blood flow palliated with PDA stent (n=104) or BT shunt (n=251) from 2008 to 2015 at 4 centers of the Congenital Catheterization Research Collaborative. Inflation-adjusted inpatient hospital costs were calculated for first year of life using Pediatric Health Information System data. Costs derived from outpatient catheterizations not in Pediatric Health Information System were imputed. Costs were compared using propensity score-adjusted multivariable models, to account for baseline differences between groups. After propensity score adjustment, first year of life costs were significantly lower in PDA stent ($215 825 [190 644-244 333]) than BT shunt ($249 855 [230 693-270 609]) patients ( P=0.05). After addition of imputed costs, first year of life costs were not significantly different between PDA stent ($226 403 [200 274-255 941]) and BT shunt ($252 072 [232 955-272 759]) groups ( P=0.15). Patient characteristics associated with higher costs included: younger gestational age, genetic syndrome, noncardiac diagnoses, procedural complications, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, duration of ventilation, intensive care unit and hospital length of stay and reintervention ( P≤0.02 for all)., Conclusions: In this first multicenter comparative cost study of PDA stent or BT shunt as palliation for infants with ductal-dependent pulmonary blood flow, adjusted for baseline differences, PDA stent was associated with lower to equivalent costs over the first year of life. Combined with previous evidence suggesting clinical noninferiority, these findings suggest that PDA stent provides competitive health care value.

Background: Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is highly prevalent in extremely low birth weight (ELBW), preterm infants. There are diverse management approaches for the PDA in ELBW infants. The objectives of this research were to identify current PDA management practices among cardiologists and neonatologists in the United States, describe any significant differences in management, and describe areas where practices align., Methods: A survey of 10 questions based on the management of PDA in ELBW infants was conducted among 100 prominent neonatologists from 74 centers and 103 prominent cardiologists from 75 centers. Among the cardiologists, approximately 50% were interventionists who perform transcatheter PDA closures (TCPC). Fisher's exact test was performed to compare practice variations among neonatologists and cardiologists. A potentially biased audience including a combination of health care providers belonging to cardiology, neonatology, and surgery were also surveyed during the International PDA Symposium. The results of this survey were not included for statistical comparison, due to this audience being potentially influenced by the Symposium., Results: Statistically significant differences were identified between neonatologists and cardiologists regarding the impact of PDA closure on morbidity and mortality, with 80% cardiologists responding that it does vs 54% of neonatologists (P < 0.001), the need for PDA closure (P < .001), and the preferred method of PDA closure if indicated (P < .001). There was agreement between neonatologists and cardiologists on symptomatic therapy; however more neonatologists favored watchful waiting over intervention in contrast to more cardiologists favoring intervention over observation (77% vs 95%, P < .001). Survey responses also identified a need for further training and research on TCPC., Conclusion: Neonatologists and cardiologists have notable differences in managing PDA, and continued discussion across cardiology and neonatology has the potential to facilitate more of a consensus on best management practices. Further investigation is needed to identify outcomes in transcatheter PDA closure, particularly in ELBW infants., (© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Background: Infants with ductal-dependent pulmonary blood flow (PBF) often undergo a palliative procedure to provide a stable source of PBF prior to definitive palliation or repair. In the current era, a surgical shunt or ductal stent is used to provide PBF. We aimed to review the current literature comparing ductal stents to surgical shunts., Methods and Results: Four small, single-center studies and two larger multicenter studies were identified comparing ductal stent to surgical shunt. Combined, these studies showed ductal stent resulted in similar or improved pulmonary artery growth, fewer complications, shorter length of stay, less diuretic use, and improved survival compared to surgical shunt. Despite inherent minor variability among the studies, ductal stent appears to be associated with more frequent reinterventions., Conclusions: Surgical shunts remain essential to the care of these patients, but ductal stent is a reasonable alternative, and may provide some advantages in select patients with ductal-dependent PBF., (© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

The use of prostaglandin-E1 immediately after birth and subsequent surgical creation of the modified Blalock-Taussig shunt (BTS) shunt have remarkably improved the prognosis and survival of children with congenital heart disease and ductal-dependent pulmonary blood flow (PBF). Despite the advancement in surgical techniques, bypass strategies, and postoperative management, significant morbidity and mortality after BTS still remain. Patent ductus arteriosus stenting has been shown to be as an acceptable alternative to BTS placement in select infants with ductal-dependent PBF. Newer procedural techniques and equipment, along with operator experience have all contributed to procedural refinement associated with improved outcomes over the recent years. In this article, we review the procedural and periprocedural details, with an emphasis on recent advances of this procedure., (© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Background: Infants with ductal-dependent pulmonary blood flow may undergo palliation with either a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) stent or a modified Blalock-Taussig (BT) shunt. A balanced multicenter comparison of these 2 approaches is lacking., Methods: Infants with ductal-dependent pulmonary blood flow palliated with either a PDA stent or a BT shunt from January 2008 to November 2015 were reviewed from the 4 member centers of the Congenital Catheterization Research Collaborative. Outcomes were compared by use of propensity score adjustment to account for baseline differences between groups., Results: One hundred six patients with a PDA stent and 251 patients with a BT shunt were included. The groups differed in underlying anatomy (expected 2-ventricle circulation in 60% of PDA stents versus 45% of BT shunts; P =0.001) and presence of antegrade pulmonary blood flow (61% of PDA stents versus 38% of BT shunts; P <0.001). After propensity score adjustment, there was no difference in the hazard of the primary composite outcome of death or unplanned reintervention to treat cyanosis (hazard ratio, 0.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.52-1.23; P =0.31). Other reinterventions were more common in the PDA stent group (hazard ratio, 29.8; 95% CI, 9.8-91.1; P <0.001). However, the PDA stent group had a lower adjusted intensive care unit length of stay (5.3 days [95% CI, 4.2-6.7] versus 9.19 days [95% CI, 7.9-10.6]; P <0.001), a lower risk of diuretic use at discharge (odds ratio, 0.4; 95% CI, 0.25-0.64; P <0.001) and procedural complications (odds ratio, 0.4; 95% CI, 0.2-0.77; P =0.006), and larger (152 mm 2 /m 2 [95% CI, 132-176] versus 125 mm 2 /m 2 [95% CI, 113-138]; P =0.029) and more symmetrical (symmetry index, 0.84 [95% CI, 0.8-0.89] versus 0.77 [95% CI, 0.75-0.8]; P =0.008] pulmonary arteries at the time of subsequent surgical repair or last follow-up., Conclusions: In this multicenter comparison of palliative PDA stent and BT shunt for infants with ductal-dependent pulmonary blood flow adjusted for differences in patient factors, there was no difference in the primary end point, death or unplanned reintervention to treat cyanosis. However, other markers of morbidity and pulmonary artery size favored the PDA stent group, supporting PDA stent as a reasonable alternative to BT shunt in select patients., (© 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.)

Objectives: To describe the early multicenter, clinical experience with the Medtronic Micro Vascular Plug™ (MVP) for the occlusion of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in premature infants., Background: The MVP is a large diameter plug that can be delivered through a microcatheter for occlusion of abnormal blood vessels., Methods: A Retrospective review of PDA embolization procedures performed in two centers using the MVP was performed., Results: Fifteen premature infants underwent attempted PDA occlusion using the MVP. The gestational age and birth weight were 25.6 ± 2.5 weeks and 735 ± 251 g, respectively. The median weight and age at the time of the procedure were 1,210 g (700-3,500 g) and 4.5 weeks (2-12 weeks), respectively. Median procedure and fluoroscopy times were 45 and 6.5 min, respectively. The median radiation and contrast doses were 19.7 mGy and 2.4 mL/kg, respectively. Antegrade occlusion was successfully achieved in 13 patients <2 kg with only femoral venous access aided by echo guidance. The two patients >2 kg had arterial access and attempted retrograde occlusion; one of which was unsuccessful due to the PDA being short and wide. Complete closure was observed in 13 of 14 successful procedures (93%), with one patient having a small residual shunt that was not seen on follow-up. There were no complications related to the procedure or noted during follow-up (Median 11 months)., Conclusions: The MVP is a new, large-diameter vascular embolization device that may be useful for the occlusion of PDA in extremely small, premature infants. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., (© 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

The objective of this study was to evaluate the incidence of pre-existing catheterization left pulmonary artery (LPA) gradients and correlation of these gradients with later LPA stenosis after successful patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) occlusion. We performed a single-center review of 130 patients with PDA closure from October 1993 to February 2005. We analyzed the pre-PDA closure LPA pressure gradients at catheterization to determine if these were predictive of late LPA stenosis. On follow-up, a V (max) >2 m/s by echocardiogram (transthoracic echocardiography; TTE) was considered indicative of possible LPA stenosis. Left lung perfusion of <35% was considered diagnostic of significant LPA stenosis. Post PDA closure, possible LPA stenosis by TTE was seen in 8 of 128 patients (6.25%). Seven of these eight had precatheter LPA gradients >7 mm Hg. Five of these had perfusion scans, three of the five had significant LPA stenosis, and two underwent LPA angioplasty. Patients with LPA catheter gradients >7 mm Hg were more likely to have possible LPA stenosis by TTE, significant LPA stenosis by lung scan, and intervention with LPA angioplasty. In conclusion, a preclosure main pulmonary artery-to-LPA pressure gradient >7 mm Hg was found in all patients who developed significant LPA stenosis on follow-up after transcatheter PDA closure. It appears likely that these patients have LPA abnormality rather than stenosis caused by the PDA occlusion device. Patients with preclosure LPA gradients >7 mm Hg should undergo follow-up evaluations for detection of significant stenosis and may require treatment if an important flow abnormality is documented.