LAUSR

Percutaneous treatment in children with congenital heart disease has continued to evolve in recent years. Stent implantation plays an important role in some of these diseases. However, because vessel growth is rapid in infants, there is a need for subsequent stent redilations, surgical removal, or complicated surgical reintervention. This problem could be resolved by a bioresorbable stent. The ideal bioresorbable stent in pediatric patients would provide sufficient radial force and acceptable flexibility for deployment into distal arteries, should be low profile, and would disappear without creating a significant local inflammatory response or systemic toxicities. The bioresorbable vascular scaffold (BVS) (Abbott) is the most advanced, well-studied bioresorbable stent. The product is available in multiple sizes and it fully reabsorbs within 3 years and provides mechanical support for up to 6 to 12 months. Due to the features described, the Absorb-BVS, could meet the needs of pediatric patients. The aim of our study was to describe our experience with BVS in the setting of various vascular lesions in children with congenital heart disease. A retrospective, interventional and clinical follow-up study was conducted. The primary outcome measures were procedural success and complication rates. Informed consent was obtained in all patients. BVS implantation was performed in 8 patients as an alternative to surgical intervention or bare-metal stent implantation, bridging the patient in some cases to a future more definitive surgical intervention. The median age was 3.8 months (10 days-6.3 years) and the median weight was 3.95 kg (range, 2.3-20). The demographic data and types of vessel obstruction are summarized in the Table.