Stenting the vertical ductus arteriosus via axillary artery access using "wire-target" technique.

OBJECTIVES

To retrospectively review the outcome of stent placement in neonates with a vertical ductus, present a technique of ductal stenting via the axillary artery and compare it to ductal stening via the femoral venous access.

DESIGN

Nineteen patients with duct-dependent pulmonary circulations through a vertical ductus arteriosus were treated with stent implantation. Those patients were retrospectively included in the study. In the first nine of these cases, stent delivery was done transvenously. In the latter ten cases, we favored the axillary artery access to the transvenous approach for stenting the vertical ductus arteriosus. Wire-target technique was used to attain access to axillary artery.

RESULTS

PDA stenting was successful in six out of nine cases in whom the procedure was done anterogradely via the femoral vein and in all cases in whom the procedure was done via axillary artery (P = .047). Wire-target technique was used successfully in all ten cases in whom the procedure was done via axillary artery. Fluoroscopy time and total procedure time were significantly shorter in patients in whom the procedure was done via axillary artery (P < .001) CONCLUSIONS: Stenting of a vertical ductus arteriosus via the axillary artery using wire-target technique is feasible and safe in selected patients.