Balloon angioplasty for aortic recoarctation: results of Valvuloplasty and Angioplasty of Congenital Anomalies Registry

Balloon angioplasty was performed in 200 patients with recoarctation of the aorta in a multicenter prospective study. The average age at the time of the procedure was 7.0 years (range 1 month to 26 years). Systolic pressure (mean +/- standard deviation) in the ascending aorta decreased from 134.5 +/- 23.4 to 127.4 +/- 22.0 mm Hg. The descending aortic systolic pressure rose from 92.7 +/- 18.2 to 114.1 +/- 21.6 mm Hg. Peak systolic pressure differences decreased from 41.9 +/- 19.6 to 13.3 +/- 12.1 mm Hg. The diameter of the recurrent coarctation site increased from 5.2 +/- 2.9 to 8.9 +/- 3.4 mm. After angioplasty residual pressure differences of less than or equal to 20 mm Hg were found in 79.4% of the patients. Five patients died of complications related to the procedure (2.5%). Two deaths were directly related to the technical aspects of the procedure and 3 patients died because of the severity of the underlying disease. One additional patient had a cerebrovascular accident. Femoral artery complications occurred in 17 patients (8.5%) and 8 patients required surgical thrombectomy. Balloon angioplasty offers a satisfactory alternative to surgery for recurrent coarctation; both results and complications compare favorably with surgical therapy.