Early spontaneous closure of large arterial ducts in two term neonates with Ebstein anomaly after failed attempts of transcatheter closure.

Abstract

In neonatal Ebstein's anomaly of the tricuspid valve, prolonged ductal patency in patients without anatomic pulmonary valve atresia can be deleterious. Circular shunts may develop in patients with different degrees of pulmonary and tricuspid insufficiency. Closure of the arterial duct may result in haemodynamic improvement in particular scenarios. The transcatheter approach is a valuable closure alternative despite some technical difficulties in large-sized arterial ducts and low birth weight neonates. Herein, we report on two consecutive term newborns with Ebstein's anomaly and large arterial ducts in whom mechanical stimulus of the arterial duct during failed attempts of transcatheter closure led after two days to definitive closure followed by good clinical outcomes.