Emergency balloon valvuloplasty was performed due to severe congenital aortic stenosis in a one month-old infant with severe congestive heart failure. In addition to peak pressure gradient between aorta and left ventricle decreasing from 155mmHg to 116mmHg, his general condition improved immediately. Two weeks after the balloon valvuloplasty, an open aortic commissurotomy was performed with a cardiopulmonary bypass. He recovered well and was discharged on the 22nd day after the operation with a further decrease in peak pressure gradient between LV and Ao of 15mmHg. Balloon dilatating angioplasty was performed on the stenosis of an arterial anastomosis in a one month-old infant following a Blalock-Park operation and was successful. Five days after balloon angioplasty, the intracardiac repair for ASD + VSD was completed under cardiopulmonary bypass. He also recovered well and was discharged on the 37th postoperative day. These results suggest that balloon-plasty is a very useful technique to improve an infant's condition from severe congestive heart failure and prepare for radical operation under cardiopulmonary bypass.
