Stenting of the Aorta for Recurrent, Long Stenosis Due to Takayasu's Arteritis in a Child

Abstract.

Balloon angioplasty followed by stenting of the thoracic aorta is reported in a 5-year-old girl with Takayasu's arteritis, who presented with severe hypertension and congestive heart failure. Her aortogram showed severe long segment stenosis of the descending thoracic aorta, which was successfully treated by balloon angioplasty on two occasions, but developed recurrences after 6 and 7 months of angioplasty. Balloon dilatation of the stenosed aorta, followed by sequential implantation of three 30-mm long Palmaz stents in tandem, bridging the full segment of the angioplastied aorta were performed successfully without any complications. The aortic diameter increased from 3.3 mm to 7.7 mm and the peak systolic pressure gradient decreased from 75 mmHg to 3 mmHg. There was no recurrence on clinical follow-up of 13 months.