Delivering stents in congenital heart disease using the double-wire technique: Technical considerations

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the use of a double-wire technique to deliver stents. BACKGROUND: Placement of a stent in lesions close to bifurcations or without an anatomic obstruction can be problematic. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Stents were implanted in 12 patients between August 2010 and August 2012. Indications were complex anatomic obstruction in nine, external compression of pulmonary veins in two, and exclusion of an aortic aneurysm in one patient. RESULTS: Median age and body weight of the group were 11.6 years (range: 1.6-34.8) and 36 kg (range: 10-78), respectively. All stents were delivered safely and the patency of all side vessels was maintained; the distal end of the stent was flared to a median ratio of 1.4 (range: 1.2-1.8). The clinical objective was met in all patients: in lesions with stenosis, diameter increased from 5.9 mm (range: 1-13) to 9.9 mm (range: 8-17) [P