PTBPV was performed 33 times in 32 patients in the Riyadh Armed Forces Hospital. Patients ranged in age from 6 months to 12 years (mean 4.5 years); average weight was 14.86 kg. Before dilatation, all patients had grade 46 late peaking systolic ejection murmurs, with right-axis deviation and right ventricular hypertrophy on ECG. Moderate to severe pulmonary valve stenosis (right ventricle-pulmonary artery gradient 50 mm Hg systolic) was confirmed both hemodynamically and angiographically. Balloon size was selected to be approximately 2 mm larger than the pulmonary valve anulus. Balloons were inflated to approximately 5 atmospheres of pressure. Two patients required two simultaneous balloons as the pulmonary valve anulus was over 25 mm. Predilatation peak systolic pressure gradients ranged from 50 to 245 mm Hg (mean 99.2 mm Hg); postdilatation gradients ranged from 8 to 93 mm Hg (mean 23.4 mm Hg). There were no deaths or complications. The systolic murmur with early systolic peak decreased in all but three patients. Systolic thrill disappeared in all but three patients. Follow-up at an average of 10 months revealed increasing exercise tolerance in two thirds of patients. Fourteen patients have been recatheterized at least 6 months after dilatation and showed persistent minimal gradient. We conclude that balloon valvuloplasty of pulmonary valve stenosis is an effective, safe procedure.

At this writing, a total of 90 successful PTBPVs have been performed, with equally impressive results.