[Catheterization of the left heart by retrograde arterial pathway in children. Apropos of 100 explorations by femoral arteriotomy].

A study has been made of 100 cases in which a surgical technique has been used to carry out aortography in the child. The patients were aged between 12 days and 14 years. 20 per cent of the subjects were infants. The technique which was used was that of arteriotomy of the common femoral artery; the artery was repaired by interrupted sutures. The advantage of this technique is that it allows prolonged arterial catheterisation, and therefore seems to be indicated in the complex cardiopathies and also in cases of stenoses about the aortic outflow. The complications and local problems were 6 in number. They occurred either in the youngest subjects, or in those with aortic stenosis. Taken as a whole, the results were very satisfactory. It would appear that in a paediatric cardiology unit, this technique has a place alongside that of Seldinger, with its slightly different indications.