Treatment of valvular PS depends on its severity and age of presentation.
In Valvular pulmonary stenosis, treatment of choice is to do ‘’Balloon dilatation of pulmonary valve’’.
- Newborn babies with severe/critical pulmonary stenosis: Urgent balloon dilatation of pulmonary valve is recommended.
- Child with mild to moderate obstruction: medical follow-up at regular intervals.
- In severe obstruction: Immediate intervention in the form of ballooning is advised.
When echo gradient is more than 60 mm Hg or in critical valvular pulmonary stenosis in neonates, ballooning is indicated.
Balloon procedure details
- This procedure is done retrogradely in cardiac cath lab by angiographic technique without open heart surgery.
- This procedure generally done by using femoral vein, but occasionally we use neck vein (internal jugular vein) for crossing the pulmonary valve.
- Valve is crossed by wire and catheters followed by balloon dilatation of pulmonary valve.
Is this procedure safe?
- Majority of these procedures are safe in modern era.
Dr Gaurav Agrawal is a Pediatric Cardiologist (Child and Fetal heart Specialist). Dr Agrawal is a pediatrician who has specialized training in the treatment of various child heart related problems (neonates to 18 years of age). He is also having a vast experience in fetal echocardiography.
He is one of the very few pediatricians in India who practices pediatric cardiology exclusively. Cardiac problems in children are common in children, sometimes life threating and often not diagnosed properly. Early diagnosis and timely treatment is very important. Areas of specific interest include child echocardiography including fetal echocardiography, diagnostic and therapeutic cardiac catheterization (pediatric cardiac holes closure by device, opening of obstructed cardiac valves by balloons etc).