[Interventional treatment of congenital heart defects in infants with a body weight up to 2,500 grams]

Abstract

Background: Pediatricians and neonatologists are still reluctant to consider invasive cardiological or cardiosurgical treatment in low body weight infants because it is believed to considerably increase the risk. The aim of this study was to assess the results and complications of percutaneous transcatheter interventions in infants with a weight below 2.5 kilograms.

Methods: Retrospective analysis was undertaken for all patients with a weight below 2.5 kilograms who underwent cardiac catheterization from 01/1994 to 04/1999. During this time 42 diagnostic catheterizations in 29 patients and 27 transcatheter interventions in 24 patients were performed.

Results: Surgery was replaced or effectively postponed in 9 (33%) out of 27 transcatheter interventions. This was possible for pulmonary stenosis, valvular aortic stenosis and aortic coarctation. A stabilization of the hemodynamic situation was possible in 14 patients. An antegrade pulmonary flow was established in 5, an effective interatrial shunt created in 5 and the arterial duct stented in 3 patients. Only 3 patients had no benefit from the intervention; however, there were no deaths nor hemodynamic complications. Arrhythmias occurred in 9% of all catheterizations and interventions but were transient in all cases. Femoral arterial complications were observed in 30% of all arterial catheterizations.

Conclusion: Diagnostic cardiac catheterization and percutaneous transcatheter interventions can be performed with low mortality and acceptable morbidity in low weight infnats. Transcatheter interventions can replace surgery, postpone the necessity for surgery or stabilize the hemodynamic situation prior to surgery.