Patent Ductus Arteriosus Stenting via Percutaneous Common Carotid Artery Access for Ductus Dependent Pulmonary Blood Flow in Newborns and Infants: Experience in Latvia

PDA stenting using the transcarotid approach is currently considered a relatively safe method and does not have a greater risk of developing postprocedural complications compared to the transfemoral approach. Transcarotidal PDA stenting in neonates and small infants with ductus-dependent critical congenital heart disease is possible in small volume paediatric cardiac surgery centre to stabilise the patient prior to definitive surgery or palliation of complex CHD. The vascular access should be chosen depending on the anatomical features of the patient and the competency of the cardiac interventionalist. From our experience, long-term changes in the affected common carotid artery may develop in a substantial number of cases, they may not be clinically significant in midterm follow-up period but have to be reevaluated. However, further randomised studies are necessary with large cohorts and longer follow-up period.