Retrospective descriptive study of the management of aortic coarctation

Introduction: Aortic coarctation (CoA) can be treated with balloon angioplasty and/or stenting, yet local evidence on immediate outcomes is limited.Objective: To assess the immediate hemodynamic effectiveness and procedural safety of percutaneous CoA treatment at a referral center in Cundinamarca.Methods: This was a retrospective descriptive study of a consecutive cohort.We included 40 patients with CoA who underwent balloon angioplasty and/or stent implantation.Effectiveness was evaluated with the catheterization peak-to-peak gradient before and after the procedure and the proportion with a residual gradient < 20 mmHg.Safety included intraprocedural/inpatient adverse events and reinterventions.A paired t-test was used when appropriate (α = 0.05).Results: Forty patients were included (70% male); ductal-type CoA predominated (77.5%).Procedural success was 97.5% with 5.0% complications.In 30 cases with paired measurements, the gradient decreased from 40.3 ± 23.7 to 18.5 ± 27.8 mmHg (Δ 21.8 ± 25.7; p = 0.0001); 73.3% achieved a residual gradient < 20 mmHg.Documented reintervention was 34.2% (13/38).The CP and Palmaz platforms were widely used; covered stents accounted for 12.5%.Conclusions: Percutaneous treatment of CoA showed high acute effectiveness and low complication rates.Technical optimization and structured follow-up may further increase the share with very low residual gradients and potentially reduce reinterventions.