Angioplasty and stenting in treatment of critical aortic coarctation

To present our experience in the endovascular treatment of native coarctation of the aorta, with important hemodynamic changes. From May 2000 to February 2006, we studied seven patients with a diagnosis of native coarctation of the aorta. All of them accepted to participate in the treatment. All were subjected to careful examinations with complete clinical history, including electrocardiogram, X-rays, transthoraxic echocardiogram and angiography. All patients coursed with hypertension, and were being treated with one or two drugs to control their high blood pressure. We treated seven patients, with angioplasty and stenting, six men and one woman, the average age was 24.14+/-8.57 years, and the average trans-coarctation gradient was 80 mm Hg. The residual gradient after endovascular treatment was of a 4 mm Hg. We found aortic insufficiency in four of the seven patients, who improved after treatment, the high blood pressure improved also, and only three patients continue taking one anti-hypertensive drug. There were few patients in the study, but we think that we must predilate the lesion before to release a stent in critical aortic coarctation.