Transcatheter Closure of Patent Ductus Arteriosus Among Native High-Altitude Habitants

Increased prevalence of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) at high altitude (HA) is a known occurrence. Transcatheter treatment of patients with PDA living at a HA is assessed in this study. Thirteen consecutive patients (all habitants of La Paz, Bolivia) underwent transcatheter closure of PDA. The minimal diameter of PDA was 5.8 (1.5–11) mm and the mean pulmonary artery pressure was 37 (7–80) mm Hg. In 12 patients, the Amplatzer Duct Occluder (ADO) was used; in one child with PDA with a 1.5-mm diameter, a detachable coil was implanted. All procedures, except for one, were completed successfully. The ADO (diameter: 12/10 mm) implantation failed in one child with pulmonary hypertension because the device could not be properly secured in position in a 6-mm PDA. Subsequent surgery was performed without any complications. No residual shunt after 24 h was observed in any case after treatment. No complications were encountered during the procedure and follow-up of 1.5 (from 0.1 to 2.8) years. PDA in native residents of high land have different physiopathologies and anatomies. ADO appears to be a suitable device for transcatheter occlusion for most such patients. Interventional cardiology in countries with residents at high altitudes can be helpful in addressing this issue.