Immediate effects and outcome of in‐utero pulmonary valvuloplasty in fetuses with pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum or critical pulmonary stenosis

ABSTRACT

Objective

To assess the immediate effects of fetal pulmonary valvuloplasty on right ventricular (RV) size and function as well as in‐utero RV growth and postnatal outcome.

Methods

Patients with pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum (PAIVS) or critical pulmonary stenosis (CPS) who underwent fetal pulmonary valvuloplasty at our center between October 2000 and July 2017 were included. Echocardiographic data obtained before and after the procedure were analyzed retrospectively (median interval after intervention, 1 (range, 1–3) days) for ventricular and valvular dimensions and ratios, RV filling time (duration of tricuspid valve (TV) inflow/cardiac cycle length), TV velocity time integral (TV‐VTI) × heart rate (HR) and tricuspid regurgitation (TR) velocity. Longitudinal data were collected from only those fetuses followed up in our center. Outcome was assessed using the scoring system as described by Roman et al. for non‐biventricular outcome.

Results

Thirty‐five pulmonary valvuloplasties were performed in our institution on 23 fetuses with PAIVS ( n = 15) or CPS ( n = 8). Median gestational age at intervention was 28 + 4 (range, 23 + 6 to 32 + 1) weeks. No fetal death occurred. Immediately after successful intervention, RV/left ventricular length (RV/LV) ratio ( P ≤ 0.0001), TV/mitral valve annular diameter (TV/MV) ratio ( P ≤ 0.001), RV filling time ( P ≤ 0.00001) and TV‐VTI × HR ( P ≤ 0.001) increased significantly and TR velocity ( P ≤ 0.001) decreased significantly. In fetuses followed longitudinally to delivery ( n = 5), RV/LV and TV/MV ratios improved further or remained constant until birth. Fetuses with unsuccessful intervention ( n = 2) became univentricular, all others had either a biventricular ( n = 15), one‐and‐a‐half ventricular ( n = 3) or still undetermined ( n = 3) outcome. Five of nine fetuses with a predicted non‐biventricular outcome, in which the procedure was successful, became biventricular, while two of nine had an undetermined circulation.

Conclusion

In selected fetuses with PAIVS or CPS, in‐utero pulmonary valvuloplasty led immediately to larger RV caused by reduced afterload and increased filling, thus improving the likelihood of biventricular outcome even in fetuses with a predicted non‐biventricular circulation. © 2018 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.