Interventional cardiology in adults with congenital heart disease.

Overview

Interventional cardiac catheterization has become an integral component of the management of adults with congenital heart disease. The origins of this approach come from the paediatric interventional experience, although techniques and indications for interventional cardiac catheterization in adults are now being developed for use in the burgeoning field of adult congenital heart disease. Progress in the application and acceptance of interventional cardiac catheterization in this setting has been swift, and the pace is quickening. This Review provides a broad overview of some of the most common procedures used in the treatment of adults with congenital heart lesions, with an emphasis on new tools that have revolutionized the field. Specifically, we discuss interventions that can be broadly classified into the following groups: techniques for closing shunt lesions, valvular interventions, methods for achieving patency of vascular obstructions, and selected additional interventions applicable to some complex lesions. We emphasize the need for a thorough understanding of the anatomy of the lesion, its natural or unnatural history, and indications for intervention before the procedure takes place. Such procedures must be performed in centres where the operators are knowledgeable of the lesions being addressed, with full surgical, anaesthetic, nursing and imaging support.