Pre-natal echocardiographic diagnosis and neonatal balloon dilatation of severe valvar pulmonic stenosis

Abstract

A case is presented below where pre-natal echocardiographic diagnosis of critical pulmonic valvar stenosis was made at 36 weeks of gestation. In view of the severe heart failure, successful balloon valvotomy was performed on day 4 of life. The child was asymptomatic at one month follow-up.

Transient abnormal fetal cardiac flow patterns at 13 to 17 gestational weeks

“…The incidence of pulmonary stenosis (PS) in children with congenital heart disease varies from 3% to 10% (3). To the best of our knowledge, there are only three published case reports on the prenatal diagnosis of PS, all in late gestation . Pulmonary stenosis is considered as a developmental anomaly that starts at or after midgestation, which sometimes may develop into a more severe malformation, such as pulmonary atresia and/or right ventricular dysfunction.…”

“…When performing fetal cardiac echography, the transient nature of pericardial effusion, cardiomegaly, abnormal rhythm, echogenic foci, asymmetrical ventricles, dilated aortic arch, tricuspid regurgitation, and others has been observed . Fetal coronary fistulae, aortic and pulmonary stenosis, and mitral regurgitation are occasionally reported usually associated in the presence of additional fetal malformations . Herein, we report our experience with the observation of four types of transient abnormal cardiac flow patterns (ABCFP), which may erroneously suggest the existence of valvular or fistulous anomalies early in pregnancy.…”