Results of balloon atrial septostomy as preparation for surgical correction in transposition of great arteries.

Balloon atrial septostomy (BAS) is a palliative procedure performed in the preoperative management of patients with transposition of great arteries (TGA), to improve the mixing of blood between the 2 systems. This report describes experience at the Clínica Cardiovascular Santa Maria in Medellin, Colombia. Between 2002 and 2010, 22 patients with TGA underwent BAS. Patient age at the time of the procedure was 21 days on average; 68% of patients were male. Average weight was 2.96 kg and interatrial gradient was between 4 and 12 mm Hg. The average systemic oxygen saturation at the beginning of the procedure was 60%, with a final saturation of 90%. Z5 atrioseptostomy balloons were used in 18 patients (81%), using Rashkind technique; Tyshak balloon catheters were used in 3 patients (13%) with the Shrivastava technique; and static high-pressure peripheral angioplasty balloons were used in 3 patients (13%). Two patients underwent BAS with 2 types of balloons. Although there were no complications clearly attributable to the procedure, 14% of patients had evidence of focal brain injury on the postoperative magnetic resonance image. Six patients died (27%), 5 of them because of postoperative complications and 1 because of infectious complications at another institution. All postoperative deaths occurred before 2006. The BAS is a safe technique for preoperative stabilization of patients with TGA.