[Closure of patent ductus arteriosus using interventional catheterization].

Percutaneous closure of patent ductus arteriosus can be performed with the Rashkind technique. This procedure has been performed in 16 patients in Geneva since 1989. The age of the patients varied from 2 to 44 years (4 boys, 7 girls, and 5 women). Pulmonary hypertension was present in only 1 child. A 12 mm Rashkind umbrella was used in 11 patients with ductus of < or = 4 mm inner diameter, while a 17 mm umbrella was used in 5 cases for larger ducts. Ductus closure was carried out through a transvenous femoral approach in 15 cases, while in 1 patient a transarterial approach was employed because of impossibility of passing the ductus from the pulmonary artery. There was neither mortality nor morbidity in this series. The aortography performed just after device placement showed total ductus occlusion in 8 patients and partial closure in 8 others. The follow-up by color Doppler showed disappearance of the residual shunt in 4 of these 8 patients. Prophylaxis of bacterial endocarditis is therefore no longer necessary in 13 patients with complete ductus closure. Our experience with this technique confirms its efficacy and the possibility it offers of avoiding thoracotomy in the vast majority of patients with a patent ductus arteriosus. Further miniaturization of the device and delivery system should make it applicable in the neonatal period.