Pulmoner Balon Tedavisi

How is the closed treatment method performed?

Pulmonary balloon valvuloplasty

The veins across the groin take dirty blood from legs to right atrium. We make little punctures by a small needle to the femoral vein and put a sheath into the femoral vein at our catheterization laboratory. We send our little catheters from this sheath in to the right atrium. Then, we cross from right atrium to right ventricle. By a special guidewire or with a balloon catheter, we pass the stenotic pulmonary valve and then put a stiff wire into the distal pulmonary artery. We first measure the pressure gradient between the pulmonary artery and right ventricle. Over this guidewire, we sent a specific balloon and inflate the balloon across the pulmonary valve. After the procedure, we measure the pressure gradient, control whether severe regurgitation is present or not. If the result is satisfactory, the procedure is terminated.

Can we use pulmonary valvuloplasty to all patients with valvular pulmonary stenosis?

This closed percutaneous method can be applied to all appropriate patients with valvular pulmonary stenosis. However, if the disease is very severe and if the valve is too stenotic or accompaniment other valvular disease or congenital disorders are present or severe coronary heart disease is present, open surgery can be done.

Are there any complications related to the procedure?

Compared to open heart surgery, complications of this treatment modality is very rare. The complications related to open heart surgery such as bleeding, trauma to great vessels or structrures are not seen. Cosmetic superiority is also very high because we do not open the chest. During the procedure, rupture of the balloon or distal pulmonary artery tears due to the stiff wire can be seen but these all complications are very rare in experienced hands. Thus, both European Society of Cardiology and American Society of Cardiology recommend pulmonary balloon valvuloplasty as the first choice treatment among patients with valvular pulmonary stenosis.