Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Pulmonary artery tear risk after balloon valve treatment in dogs
By Mikulak, H et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary cardiology : the official journal of the European Society of Veterinary Cardiology·2022·University of Minnesota, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Pulmonary artery dissection following pulmonary balloon valvuloplasty in dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs with severe pulmonic stenosis underwent a procedure called balloon valvuloplasty to help their heart function better. Unfortunately, a rare complication called pulmonary artery dissection occurred in six of the dogs, which is when the artery tears. Out of these six dogs, three died during or shortly after the surgery, but the other three survived and were doing well several years later. This highlights that while the procedure can be risky, some dogs can recover and live for years after treatment.
People also search for: dog heart surgery complications · pulmonic stenosis treatment in dogs · balloon valvuloplasty outcomes for dogs
Abstract
INTRODUCTION/OBJECTIVES: Pulmonary artery dissection is a rare complication following balloon valvuloplasty for pulmonic stenosis. We sought to report the rate of this complication in dogs and describe the demographic, clinical, procedural, and outcome data in affected dogs. ANIMALS, MATERIALS AND METHODS: Medical records at a single academic institution between 2002 and 2021 were reviewed for dogs with pulmonic stenosis treated by a balloon valvuloplasty. Dogs were included for evaluation if there was evidence of pulmonary artery dissection on echocardiography or necropsy following balloon valvuloplasty. The demographic, clinical, surgical, and follow-up information were then recorded. RESULTS: Six dogs were included from 210 balloon valvuloplasty procedures for pulmonic stenosis giving a 3.9% rate of pulmonary dissection. There was a variety of signalment, pulmonary valve morphologies, and balloon catheter types used in each dog. All dogs had severe pulmonic stenosis (median pressure gradient of 208 mmHg, range 94-220 mmHg) with 5/6 dogs having a pressure gradient >144 mmHg. The median balloon to pulmonary valve annulus ratio was 1.35 (range 1.25-1.5). Three dogs died perioperatively, and three dogs were alive at follow up 3.3, 4.0, and 4.1 years postoperatively. CONCLUSION: Pulmonary artery dissection is a rare complication following balloon valvuloplasty for pulmonic stenosis. Extreme elevations in preoperative pulmonary valve flow velocity were common. Prognosis is variable, with a potential 50% perioperative survival rate, but extended survival times were noted in those patients discharged from hospital.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36370467/