Percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation

Percutaneous implantation of valves is a fast evolving field in interventional cardiology. Acquired pulmonary valve disease is uncommon; however, right ventricular outflow tract dysfunction is one of the common indications of reoperations during late follow-up of repaired congenital heart disease. The impact of pulmonary valvular dysfunction on right ventricular function during late follow-up of patients with adult congenital heart disease has led to earlier intervention. The importance of a technique with lower morbidity and mortality, good patient acceptance, and efficacy that is comparable with surgery cannot be underestimated. Percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation uses a valved-stent assembly implanted by means of a double balloon catheter delivery system. The device is a bovine jugular venous valve sutured inside a platinum-iridium. In a series of 58 consecutive patients, we implanted this valve successfully with good clinical and hemodynamic results and no mortality on long-term follow-up. Early device designs led to reintervention by surgical explantation in the early experience, and a second percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation during latter experience. This exciting new technique will lead to review of the current indications and timing of intervention for right ventricular outflow tract dysfunction in late follow-up of congenital heart disease.