The fate of systemic blood pressure in patients after effectively stented coarctation

Abstract

Aims The current study was designed to assess midterm results of stent implantation into the aorta for native and recurrent coarctation (CoA) in children and young adults. Methods and results Forty-three patients (native CoA, 8; female, 12) were treated with stent implantation at a median age of 16.8 years (range 7.9–44.8 years). Only stents dilatable to an adult size aorta were implanted. All but two patients with functionally univentricular hearts had arterial hypertension. Exercise tests, 24-h blood pressure, clinical examination, echocardiography, and elective catheterization were used to assess follow-up. The narrowed segment was widened significantly from a median of 8 to 12.4 mm (PPPConclusion Stent implantation for selected patients with recurrent and native CoA is safe and may effectively reduce the blood pressure gradient across the CoA site. We suggest using only stents dilatable to an adult size aorta. However, arterial hypertension persists in a significant number of the patients. Impaired elastic properties of the aorta may be the cause for this finding.