Stenting of the inter-atrial septum in infants and small children: Indications, techniques and outcomes

Implantation of atrial flow regulator devices in patients with congenital heart disease and children with severe pulmonary hypertension or cardiomyopathy-an international multicenter case series

Background

The Occlutech Atrial Flow Regulator (AFR) is a self-expandable double-disc nitinol device with a central fenestration. Its use has been approved in the adult population with heart failure and described for pulmonary hypertension (PH). Only case reports and small series have been published about its use in the paediatric population and for congenital heart disease (CHD).

Objectives

The authors sought to investigate the feasibility, safety, and short-term follow-up of AFR implantation in patients with CHD or children with PH or cardiomyopathy.

Methods

This is a multicenter retrospective study involving 10 centers worldwide. Patients of any age with CHD or patients aged < 18 years with PH or cardiomyopathy needing AFR implantation were included.

Results

A total of 40 patients underwent AFR implantation. The median age of the population at the time of the procedure was 58.5 months (IQR: 31.5-142.5) and the median weight was 17 kg (IQR: 10-46). A total of 26 (65.0%) patients had CHD, nine (22.5%) children, a cardiomyopathy, and five (12.5%), a structurally normal heart. The implantation success rate was 100%. There were two early and one late device thrombosis. Two patients (5.0%) with dilated cardiomyopathy on extracorporeal membrane oxygenator (ECMO) died during the hospital stay. At a median follow-up of 330 days (IQR: 125-593), 37 (92.5%) patients were alive. At follow-up, 20 patients improved their New York Heart Association (NYHA) class, 12 patients did not change their NYHA class, and one patient with idiopathic PH worsened.

Conclusions

AFR implantation in patients with CHD and children with severe PH or cardiomyopathy is promising and seems to have beneficial effects at short-term follow-up.

Chronic Heart Failure in Children: State of the Art and New Perspectives

Pediatric heart failure (HF) is an important clinical condition with high morbidity and mortality. Compared to adults, pediatric HF shows different etiologies characterized by different physiology, a different clinical course, and deeply different therapeutic approaches. In the last few years, new drugs have been developed and new therapeutic strategies have been proposed with the goal of identifying an individualized treatment regimen. The aim of this article is to review the new potential drugs and non-pharmacological therapies for pediatric heart failure in children.

The outcomes of fetal aortic valvuloplasty in critical aortic stenosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Critical aortic stenosis that appears in mid-gestation tends to develop to growth retardation of left ventricle, known as hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). Despite better clinical management of HLHS, the morbidity and mortality rates of univentricular circulation patients remain high. In this paper, we sought to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to know the outcomes of fetal aortic valvuloplasty in critical aortic stenosis patients.

METHODS

This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. A systematic search on fetal aortic valvuloplasty procedure for critical aortic stenosis was performed through PubMed, Scopus, EBSCOhost, ProQuest, and Google Scholar. The primary endpoint of each group was overall mortality. We used R software (version 4.1.3) to estimate the overall proportion of each outcome using random-effects model of proportional meta-analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 389 fetal subjects from 10 cohort studies were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. Fetal aortic valvuloplasty (FAV) was successfully performed in 84% of patients. It revealed a successful conversion to biventricular circulation rate of 33% with a mortality rate of 20%. Bradycardia and pleural effusion requiring treatment were two most common fetal complications, whereas maternal complication reported was only placental abruption in one patient.

CONCLUSIONS

FAV has a high technical success rate with the ability to achieve biventricular circulation and a low rate of procedure-related mortality if carried out by experienced operators.

Feasibility, safety, and efficacy of Atrial Flow Regulator in children under 10 kg

INTRODUCTION

The Atrial Flow Regulator (AFR) is a new self-expandable percutaneous-delivered fenestrated device providing an interatrial shunt. Its use in pediatric population has been reported in failing Fontan, pulmonary hypertension, or in patients with cardiomyopathy and venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenator (ECMO) support. Its use in small children under 10 kg has not been reported.

METHODS

We report the initial single center experience of the AFR implantation in children below 10 kg.

RESULTS

Four children underwent AFR implantation. Patients' age and weight ranged between 9 and 22 months and 5-8.7 kgs. Indications were to unload the left atrium during ECMO support for end-stage cardiomyopathy and to enlarge a restrictive interatrial shunt in two other patients with complex congenital heart diseases. Devices implanted were AFR-6 and AFR-8. Delivery sheaths used via venous femoral access were undersized and ranged from 9 to 11 Fr. Devices were successfully implanted and provided unrestrictive interatrial shunt in all cases. One child developed a nonocclusive thrombus in the inferior vena cava which resolved within 1 month. Clinical improvement and femoral vein patency were observed in all cases.

CONCLUSION

AFR implantation is feasible in selected children under 10 kg. The AFR can be safely deployed through sheaths that are 1-2 Fr smaller than the recommended manufacturer size. More studies are needed to confirm safety and efficacy of the device in selected pediatric patients.

Atrial flow regulator for drug-resistant pulmonary hypertension in a young child

This case describes the successful implantation of an Occlutech Atrial Flow Regulator in a young child with idiopathic pulmonary hypertension and recurrent syncope despite targeted combination therapy, with subsequent relief of symptoms.

Left atrial decompression as a palliative minimally invasive treatment for congestive heart failure caused by myxomatous mitral valve disease in dogs: 17 cases (2018-2019)

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether left atrial decompression (LAD) would reduce left atrial pressure (LAP) in dogs with advanced myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) and left-sided congestive heart failure (CHF) and to describe the LAD procedure and hemodynamic alterations and complications.

ANIMALS

17 dogs with advanced MMVD and left-sided CHF that underwent LAD.

PROCEDURES

The medical record database was retrospectively reviewed for all LAD procedures attempted in dogs with MMVD and left-sided CHF between October 2018 and June 2019. Data were collected regarding signalment (age, breed, weight, and sex), clinical signs, treatment, physical examination findings, and diagnostic testing before and after LAD. Procedural data were also collected including approach, technique, hemodynamic data, complications, and outcome.

RESULTS

18 LAD procedures performed in 17 patients were identified. Dogs ranged in age from 7.5 to 16 years old (median, 11 years) and ranged in body weight from 2.9 to 11.6 kg (6.4 to 25.5 lb) with a median body weight of 7.0 kg (15.4 lb). Minimally invasive creation of an atrial septal defect for the purpose of LAD was successful in all dogs without any intraoperative deaths. Before LAD, mean LAP was elevated and ranged from 8 to 32 mm Hg with a median value of 14 mm Hg (reference value, < 10 mm Hg). Following LAD, there was a significant decrease in mean LAP (median decrease of 6 mm Hg [range, 1 to 15 mm Hg]). Survival time following LAD ranged from 0 to 478 days (median, 195 days).

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE

For dogs with advanced MMVD and left-sided CHF, LAD resulted in an immediate and substantial reduction in LAP.

Implantation of an Atrial Flow Regulator in a Child on Venoarterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenator as a Bridge to Heart Transplant: A Case Report

BACKGROUND

Balloon dilation and stenting of the atrial septum are techniques used to unload left heart cavities in acute or end-stage heart failure in children. However, they carry significant risks such as tamponade or device embolization.

CASE PRESENTATION

We report the first case of a child with an end-stage mitochondrial cardiomyopathy on a venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenator as a bridge to heart transplant where an atrial flow regulator device has been implanted.

CONCLUSIONS

This case illustrates the feasibility and safety of atrial flow regulator implantation in this setting. This procedure allowed to wean inotropic support while awaiting heart transplantation.