Pulmonary Stenosis Treatment in Infants

Pulmonary stenosis is a congenital defect of the heart that affects the valve found between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery. The pulmonary valve is composed of three "leaflets" that permit blood flow into the pulmonary artery from the heart. Pulmonary stenosis involves problems with this valve that make it harder to open, consequently obstructing the flow of blood.

Signs and Symptoms

• Symptoms usually only occur with a severe degree of obstruction. An infant with severe pulmonary stenosis will develop cyanosis, or a blue coloration, within the first days of life due to lack of oxygenated blood from the lungs.

Treatment

• Only children with moderate to severe forms of pulmonary stenosis require treatment. An infant with critical pulomonary stenosis requires immediate intervention either by way of surgery or balloon dilation of the pulmonary valve.

Balloon Dilation

• Balloon dilation is a minimally invasive procedure in which a catheter is inserted into a blood vessel in the groin. A balloon-tipped catheter is guided to the inside of the heart and to the site of the narrowed valve, where it is then inflated and the area is stretched.

Valvotomy

• For more complex valves, open-heart surgery is required. A valvotomy involves cutting open or removing part of the defective valve.

Results

• Most infants with severe pulmonary stenosis require balloon dilation therapy, which has proven to be highly successful in the majority of cases. However, there is a 20-percent chance of recurrence of the condition, which would require a second balloon dilation. Open-heart surgery has also shown to have outstanding long-term outcomes.