Pediatric Cardiology Department, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, Rome, Italy.
Polito BIO Med Lab, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Politecnico Di Torino, Turin, Italy.
Pediatr Cardiol. 2024 Aug;45(6):1377-1383. doi: 10.1007/s00246-023-03123-y. Epub 2023 Feb 16.
The Atrial Flow Regulator (AFR) is a self-expandable double-disk device with a central fenestration, intended to maintain a calibrated communication across the interatrial septum. Only case reports and small case series have been published about its use in the pediatric and congenital heart disease (CHD) population. We described AFR implantation in three congenital patients with different anatomies and indications. In the first case, the AFR was deployed to create a stable fenestration in a Fontan conduit, while in the second, it was used to reduce a Fontan fenestration. In the third case, we implanted an AFR to decompress the left atrium of an adolescent with complex CHD in natural history, with complete mixing, ductal-dependent systemic circulation and combined pulmonary hypertension. This case series demonstrates the great potential of the AFR device in the CHD field, showing versatility, efficacy, and safety in establishing a calibrated and stable shunt, with promising hemodynamic and symptomatic benefits.
心房分流调节器(AFR)是一种自扩张的双盘装置,带有中央窗孔,旨在维持房间隔的校准沟通。只有病例报告和小型病例系列已经发表了关于其在儿科和先天性心脏病(CHD)人群中的使用。我们描述了 AFR 在三个具有不同解剖结构和适应症的先天性患者中的植入情况。在第一个病例中,AFR 被部署在腔静脉通道中以创建一个稳定的窗孔,而在第二个病例中,它被用于缩小腔静脉窗孔。在第三个病例中,我们为一名青少年植入了 AFR,该青少年患有复杂的 CHD,其自然病史为完全混合、依赖导管的体循环和合并肺动脉高压。该病例系列展示了 AFR 装置在 CHD 领域的巨大潜力,证明了其在建立校准和稳定分流方面的多功能性、疗效和安全性,具有有前途的血液动力学和症状益处。