ANTEROGRADE BALLOON VALVULOPLASTY OF AORTIC-STENOSIS IN CHILDREN

In congenital aortic stenosis, percutaneous balloon valvuloplasty is an alternative to surgical valvotomy with promising results.1,2 However, particularly in children, the high incidence of iliofemoral complications is disappointing.1,3 Furthermore, retrograde passage across the stenotic valve is often difficult and potentially harmful for the aortic valve.4 Because of these disadvantages, aortic valvuloplasty has been performed through a right common carotid artery cutdown,5 through the umbilical artery6 and intraoperatively through a stab wound in the left ventricular apex.7 As an alternative approach, we performed aortic valvuloplasty in 9 consecutive children with congenital aortic stenosis anterograde from the right femoral vein. © 1993.