Palliative balloon atrial septostomy in two pediatric patients with severe pulmonary arterial hypertension requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension is a pernicious disease with a diverse etiology in the pediatric population. Despite the increased availability of drug therapies, pulmonary arterial hypertension continues to cause significant morbidity and mortality. In pediatric patients with severe pulmonary arterial hypertension who have failed medical therapy, a few studies have demonstrated the role of balloon atrial septostomy as a bridge to lung transplantation or a means of improving symptomatology.

Anesthetic considerations for magnetic resonance imaging-guided right-heart catheterization in pediatric patients: A single institution experience.

Cardiac catheterization is an integral part of medical management for pediatric patients with congenital heart disease. Owing to age and lack of cooperation in children who need this procedure, general anesthesia is typically required. These patients have increased anesthesia risk secondary to cardiac pathology.

Perioperative events in children with pulmonary hypertension undergoing non-cardiac procedures.

Prior limited research indicates that children with pulmonary hypertension (PH) have higher rates of adverse perioperative outcomes when undergoing non-cardiac procedures and cardiac catheterizations. We examined a single-center retrospective cohort of children with active or pharmacologically controlled PH who underwent cardiac catheterization or non-cardiac surgery during 2006-2014. Preoperative characteristics and perioperative courses were examined to determine relationships between the severity or etiology of PH, type of procedure, and occurrence of major and minor events.

Pulmonary Hypertension Therapy and a Systematic Review of Efficacy and Safety of PDE-5 Inhibitors.

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a syndrome that is of growing concern to pediatricians worldwide. Recent data led to concerns about the safety of phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors in children and a US Food and Drug Administration safety advisory. Our objective is to provide insight into therapies for PH in children and to systematically review the comparative effectiveness and safety of PDE5 inhibitors in the management of pediatric patients with PH.