Research in Medicine

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Background: Balloon valvuloplasty is a relatively new technique for relief of obstruction of aortic valve. The primary results of this procedure are similar to surgical valvotomy with fewer complications and mortality. Materials and methods: One hundred fifty-five patients with congenital aortic stenosis were enrolled in this study over a period of 6 years (1991-1997). Participants were all under 16 years old. Among them 17 (10.9%) had subvalvular and 6 (3.9%) had supravalvular aortic stenosis. The remaining 133 patients (85%) had valvular aortic stenosis. Of these, 18 cases were excluded from the study because of severe aortic insufficiency (AI) and associated cardiac anomalies. Among the remaining 115 patients with valvar aortic stenosis, 48 (42%) underwent balloon valvuloplasty and 67 (58%) subjected to surgical aortic valvotomy. Result: Comparison of balloon valvuloplasty and surgical valvotomy data revealed that the gradient reduction across the aortic valve was greater in patients who underwent valvuloplasty (P=0.012). Decreased incidence of aortic insufficiency and mortality in balloon valvuloplasty group in comparison with surgical group are other notable points in this study. Conclusion: Successful results of balloon valvuloplasty for aortic stenosis and the advantage of relative safety of this procedure in comparison with surgical valvotomy appears reasonable to use this technique primarily almost for all patients who meet necessary criteria for relief of the aortic stenosis.

Keywords: Congenital aortic valve stenosis, Balloon valvuloplasty, Surgical valvotomy.

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