Fatal aortic rupture during balloon dilatation of recoarctation.

Fatal aortic rupture during balloon dilatation of recoarctation.

In an eight year old boy with a patch aortoplasty, the aorta ruptured during balloon angioplasty for recoarctation. At necropsy a 1.5 cm long, full thickness tear and a separate, smaller, intimal tear were found. Histological examination showed thinning of the elastic laminae of the aorta. Angioplasty for recoarctation may be dangerous in patients with a patch aortoplasty.

Intra-aortic balloon pump for oesophageal dilatation.

We read with interest the article by Loubani et al. [1] regarding the use of intra-aortic balloon pumps (IABP) for dilating oesophageal strictures. There are fundamental reasons why IABP is not the instrument of choice for oesophageal dilatation, even in difficult cases. IABP was never designed as a dilator. Its function is to produce diastolic augmentation of coronary and systemic blood flow b...

Percutaneous aortic balloon dilatation for calcific

Eight elderly patients (mean (SD) age 72-6 (8&5) years) with severe calcified stenosis of the aortic valve were considered for transluminal balloon dilatation in the Thoraxcenter between March and November 1986. In one patient the procedure could not be performed because of technical difficulties. Balloons of increasing diameter (13-25 mm) were successively passed retrogradely from the femoral ...

Balloon Dilatation and Stenting for Aortic Coarctation

Balloon dilatation of the aortic valve for inoperable aortic stenosis.

The place of balloon dilatation of the aortic valve in the treatment of calcific aortic stenosis is controversial. Thirty two patients (mean age 76) in whom valve replacement was contraindicated were followed up for three to 24 months (mean 8); 25 were in functional class III or IV according to the New York Heart Association's classification. Major complications of the procedure occurred in fou...