Balloon valvuloplasty for neonatal critical pulmonary valvar stenosis with IVC interruption: pitfalls of the transumbilical approach.

Transcatheter balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty (BPV) is considered to be the treatment of choice for neonates with critical pulmonary valvar stenosis (PVS) or pulmonary valvar atresia with intact ventricular septum accompanied by reasonable right ventricular volume. The percutaneous femoral venous access is the most preferred route for BPV in most cardiac centers. We report herein the case of a newborn baby with critical PVS with inferior vena cava interruption, severe tricuspid regurgitation and a severely enlarged right atrium. We tried BPV through the transumbilical approach with difficulty, but he was successfully treated with the assistance of a coronary artery guiding catheter.