2023 Volume 39 Issue 3 Pages 126-131
In cardiac catheterization therapy, balloon valvuloplasty and angioplasty are currently the most established treatments for congenital heart diseases in pediatric patients. Balloon pulmonary valve valvuloplasty, balloon pulmonary angioplasty, and balloon aortic valvuloplasty are common procedures in clinical practice. This review first explains the characteristics of the balloon catheter and the fundamental techniques for its use. These are essential pieces of information for the operator regardless of the lesion. Subsequently, the review presents an overview of interventional procedures for the pulmonary valve, pulmonary artery, aortic valve, and postoperative shunt stenosis. Depending on the targeted treatment site, the indications, types of balloons to be selected, appropriate balloon size, balloon inflation pressure, and balloon inflation methods vary. Thus, understanding these differences based on the targeted treatment site is crucial for effective and safe balloon valvuloplasty and angioplasty procedures.
