A Case Series Describing Percutaneous Management of Aortic Isthmic Atresia

Aortic isthmic atresia is a severe form of aortic coarctation where there is loss of luminal communication at the aortic isthmus. The primary approach for correcting aortic isthmic atresia has been surgical repair of the coarctation. A small number of case series have shown that percutaneous correction of aortic isthmic atresia is possible. We describe 3 cases of aortic isthmic atresia that was successfully treated using a percutaneous approach. Our cases ranged in age between 42 and 51 years, and they all had hypertension. In our case series, 2 patients were successfully treated with radiofrequency perforation and 1 patient had anterograde recanalization performed using a stiff wire. Our patients have been followed up for between 2 and 4 years post-procedure, and they continue to do well. The success of percutaneous management in this case series adds to the small but increasing amount of data available in support of endovascular management of aortic isthmic atresia in adult patients.

Spontaneous closure of arterio-venous pulmonary fistulas by redirection of hepatic venous blood 9 years after Glenn anastomosis in a 12-year-old girl

We report on a 12-year-old girl with Ebstein’s anomaly after a unidirectional Glenn procedure with surgical ligation of the proximal right pulmonary artery, who suffered from significant central cyanosis caused by multiple arterio-venous fistulas in the right lung. The continuity between the right pulmonary artery and the pulmonary trunk was restored with the use of radiofrequency perforation and consecutive covered stent implantation.