Stenting for infantile adult aortic coarctation with successful conception of zygomatic twins at 4 years' post-intervention.

INTRODUCTION

Aortic coarctation is a congenital defect which rarely presents in adulthood but results in significant morbidity and mortality. Endovascular techniques present novel therapeutic options for managing this anomaly with comparable results to traditional open surgical repair.

PRESENTATION OF CASE

We convey a case of postductal aortic coarctation in a symptomatic 31-year-old woman, undetected, despite 27 years history of congenital bicuspid valve with aortic incompetence. We staged a successful endovascular repair following presentation with hypertension, abdominal pain, and worsening lower limb claudication. This lady recovered well, eventually giving birth to twins after a successful caesarean section delivery. The anatomical, clinical and technical features of the case are appraised.

DISCUSSION

Aortic coarctation is classified anatomically as preductal (infantile) or postductal (adult) and the morphological spectrum of abnormality ranges from a discrete stenosis distal to the left subclavian to a hypoplastic transverse arch and aortic isthmus presenting in infancy. Its incidence is 0.2-0.6 per 100 live births. Traditional open surgical repair of aortic coarctation is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Advances in endovascular techniques with their associated shorter hospital time and lower costs, reduced short term morbidity and mortality mean that they are likely to become mainstays of treatment.

CONCLUSION

The presentation of aortic coarctation for the first time in an adult is extremely unusual. Error and delayed diagnosis can never be fully exempted in the practice of medicine even with the most advanced diagnostic tools. Follow-up is mandatory by trans-oesophageal echo in all endovascular patients.