Percutaneous coronary intervention in pediatric and adolescent patients

Objective: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is commonly used in adult patients with coronary artery disease, but data on PCI in children and adolescents remain limited. Herein, we describe our experience with the use of PCI in pediatric and adolescent patients. Design: This is a retrospective review. Setting: The study was conducted at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN. Patients: All patients ≤18 years old who underwent PCI from 2004 to 2012 were included. Interventions: Intravascular ultrasound and balloon angioplasty were performed in all patients, with subsequent stent placement in 6/7 (86%) procedures. Outcome Measures: Residual postintervention stenosis, early procedural morbidity and mortality were the outcome measures. Results: Overall, seven unique PCI procedures were performed in five patients (four males, mean age 13.2 ± 3.8 years, range 8-18 years). Mean follow-up interval was 2 (0.6-5.5) years. Indications for the procedures included transplant coronary vasculopathy (n = 1), coronary dissection (n = 1), and acute coronary thrombosis/myocardial infarction (n = 1). Additionally, there were two patients (n = 2) who experienced coronary compression as a sequelae of prior heart surgery. Intravascular ultrasound and balloon angioplasty were performed in all patients, with subsequent stent placement in 6/7 (86%) procedures. A total of eight stents were placed (average stent diameter 3 ± 0.5mm), including six (75%) drug-eluting stents. The targeted coronary artery lesions were successfully treated in all seven procedures. There was no early procedural morbidity or mortality. Two patients were noted to have angiographic evidence of in-stent restenosis at 3 and 15 months postdeployment, respectively, despite treatment with aspirin and clopidogrel. Conclusion: PCI in children and adolescents can be utilized to improve coronary blood flow in a variety of clinical situations. It may be particularly effective in cases of postsurgical coronary compression. Close angiographic follow-up is critical as these patients are at risk for in-stent restenosis.