Unconventional Applications of Endovascular Devices in Acquired Structural Cardiomyopathies

pp 159-163

Abstract

Unconventional Applications of Endovascular Devices in Acquired Structural Cardiomyopathies In recent years, several devices for the treatment of congenital or acquired structural cardiomyopathies have been designed and introduced in clinical practice. But beyond their formal indications, in situations where conventional surgical treatment has a high risk, off-label use of these devices has been reported with increasing frequency and encouraging results. This work presents four cases of patients with low prevalence disorders who were treated with percutaneous Amplatzer® devices for indications other than those for which they were designed. An aortic paravalvular leak, an acquired Gerbode defect, an aorta to right atrium fistula and a mitral paraprosthetic leak were respectively closed with devices for vascular occlusion, atrial septal defect closure, ductus arteriosus closure and treatment of muscular interventricular communication. In all cases the treatments were effective and patients had a favourable outcome without requiring new surgical interventions. We conclude that, irrespective of the indications for which they were designed, the use of Amplatzer® devices in selected pathologies is a good therapeutic alternative in the hands of experienced teams in this type of treatment.