Spectrum, Outcomes, and Safety of Catheter-Based Pediatric Cardiac Interventions: A One-Year Experience from a High-Volume Tertiary Care Center in Pakistan.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58889/PJCVI.6.1.15.24Keywords:
Congenital Heart Disease, Pediatric Cardiology, Cardiac Catheterization, Device Closure, Patent Ductus Arteriosus, Atrial Septal Defect, Ventricular Septal Defect, PakistanAbstract
Background: Congenital heart disease (CHD) is a major cause of childhood morbidity and mortality, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where access to specialized cardiac care is limited. In Pakistan, the annual burden of CHD is substantial. Catheter-based interventions provide minimally invasive alternatives to surgery for selected congenital cardiac lesions. This study aimed to describe the spectrum, outcomes, and safety of pediatric catheter-based cardiac interventions at a tertiary care center in Pakistan.
Methodology: This retrospective descriptive study was conducted at the Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Lady Reading Hospital-Medical Teaching Institution, Peshawar. Data were retrieved for all pediatric patients aged ≤18 years who underwent catheter-based cardiac procedures between January 1 and December 31, 2023. Demographic characteristics, procedural types, complications, procedure duration, and hospital stay were analyzed using descriptive statistics.
Results: A total of 603 catheter-based cardiac procedures were performed. Device closure procedures were the most common interventions, accounting for 447 cases (74.1%), including patent ductus arteriosus closure in 204 patients (33.8%), atrial septal defect closure in 160 (26.5%), and ventricular septal defect closure in 83 (13.8%). Balloon pulmonic and aortic valvuloplasty accounted for 10.4% and 3.0% of procedures, respectively, while diagnostic and therapeutic catheterizations comprised 12.4%. Males constituted 57.0% of patients. Major complications occurred in two patients (0.33%), both requiring device removal, while minor complications occurred in approximately 1.7%. Uncomplicated procedures required two to three days of hospital stay.
Conclusion: Pediatric catheter-based cardiac interventions were safe and effective, with low complication rates and favorable short-term outcomes in a resource-constrained setting.
