Balloon aortic valvuloplasty for congenital aortic stenosis using the femoral and the carotid artery approach: a 16-year experience from a single center.

Objectives: The aim of this article is to report a 16-year experience with percutaneous balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAVP) in newborns and young infants up to 3 months of age in a tertiary care cardiac reference center in a developing country and to determine its value in postponing open heart surgery.

Background: Congenital aortic stenosis (AS) is a potentially life threatening disorder. BAVP and surgical procedures have similar short and medium-term efficacy.

Transcatheter closure of atrial septal defect with Amplatzer device in children aged less than 10 years old: immediate and late follow-up.

Aims: To analyze the efficacy and follow-up results of percutaneous closure of Atrial septal defect (ASD) with the Amplatzer septal occluder in children aged <10 years old.

Methods: Between November 1998 and September 2005, 27 patients diagnosed with ASD were treated percutaneously with an Amplatzer septal occluder. The procedure was carried out in the cathlab, under general anesthesia and with both fluoroscopy and transesophageal echocardiography guidance.

[Short- and long- term results of percutaneous balloon valvuloplasty in pulmonary valve stenosis].

Objective: To assess the long-term results of percutaneous balloon valvuloplasty at a single institution.

Methods: This study comprised 189 patients with pulmonary valve stenosis undergoing percutaneous balloon valvuloplasty from 1984 to 1996, whose mean age was 7.97+/-9.