Successful treatment of a nondeflatable balloon atrial septostomy catheter.

A rare complication of balloon atrial septostomy is presented in an infant with D-transposition of the great arteries (D-TGA) undergoing a Rashkind septostomy. The balloon could not be deflated after the first pass across the atrial septum because of a blocked catheter lumen. Deflation was achieved with a fine-gauge needle introduced percutaneously via a transhepatic approach. The management of nondeflatable balloons is reviewed.