Catheterizing Modified Blalock-Taussig Shunts in Cyanotic Congenitl Heart Anomalies: Transvenous Technique

From February 1994 to November 1995 transvenous (from femoral vein via right ventricle) pulmonary artery catheterization through modified Blalock-Taussig shunt was performed in 1 1 consecutive pat ienıs previously palliated with MBT shunt. In passing from right ventricle to aorta, 4 cm angled Judkins right coronary artery catheter (JR4) and hydrophilic guide-wire, and in entering to pulmonary artery through MBT shunt, JR4 or mammalian artery caıhe t er and hydrophilic guide-wire were used. The patients' ages ranged from 1 to 13 yars (mean 5.2 ± 3.22), weight from 6.6 to 30 kg (15.4 ± 6.35). The patients' diagnoses were: tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) (n=4), TOF and pulmonary atresia (n=5), double outlet right ventricle with ventricular septal defect (VSD) and pulmonary stenosis (PS) (n=l ), and transpasition of the great arteries with VSD and PS (n=l). MBT shunts were localized in the left in 8 patients and in the right in 3 patients. Pulmonary vascular anatomy was visualized in detail in all patients. During catheter or guide-wire manipulations, shortterm complete AV block was observed in 2 patients. As a conclusion: in cyanotic congenital heart anomalies in which aorta is directly related to right venıricle, catheterization of the pulmonary arteries through MBT shunt via transvenous route can be applied successfully, and this technique has so me advantages.