ABSTRACT
Intravascular stent treatment for coarctation of the aorta has been shown to be successful in 96-98% of patients.1-4 In theory, stent dilation of coarctation is a straightforward procedure, but in reality this is one of the most technically demanding procedures performed in the catheterization laboratory.1,3,5-7 This chapter focuses on complications encountered with this procedure, techniques used to avoid the complication, and methods used to overcome the complication should it occur.Adult issues will be briefly covered, although these will be more thoroughly covered in Chapter 33. The most difficult aspect of this procedure is that
the interventionalist may ‘do everything right,’ yet an unexpected and catastrophic outcome may result from the procedure. Fortunately, increased understanding of technical and anatomic issues has significantly decreased the complication rate associated with this procedure. In this chapter, complications will be divided into technical and aortic wall complications. Each section will be further subdivided into a discussion of the complication, methods used to avoid the complication, and treatments used to overcome the complication if it should be encountered.
