children s health issues
Pulmonary Valve Stenosis in Children
Treatment of Pulmonary Valve Stenosis in Children
Medications, such as a prostaglandin, to keep the ductus arteriosus open in newborns Balloon valvuloplasty or surgery Treatment depends on the severity of the infant's symptoms. Severe disease that causes cyanosis in newborns is treated by giving a prostaglandin by vein (intravenously). The prostaglandin keeps the ductus arteriosus open, thus sending extra blood to the lungs to increase the level of oxygen in the infant's blood. This medication is usually given until the valve can be repaired with balloon valvuloplasty or a surgical procedure. For balloon valvuloplasty, a thin tube (catheter) with a balloon at its tip is passed through a blood vessel in the arm or leg into the narrowed valve. The balloon is inflated and used to widen the narrowed opening of the valve. Doctors usually also do balloon valvuloplasty in infants who do not have cyanosis if the valve is moderately or severely narrowed. If the valve is very small or markedly thickened, balloon valvuloplasty may not be sufficient. Surgery is then used to open or reconstruct the pulmonary valve. Children do not need to take antibiotics before visits to the dentist or surgeries. 