Transcatheter Potts Shunt in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension After Patent Ductus Arteriosus Closure
TL;DR
This case achieved short‐term recovery of cardiac function and long‐term maintenance of pulmonary vascular stability and demonstrates that the transcatheter Potts shunt is a feasible and effective life‐prolonging treatment option for severe PAH, even in patients with a history of prior PDA closure.
Abstract
ABSTRACT We report the case of an 18‐year‐old female with progressive, end‐stage pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) despite receiving maximal triple combination therapy. The patient had a history of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) closure at 15 months of age. Due to a pulmonary hypertensive crisis during anesthesia induction, a transcatheter Potts procedure was successfully performed under extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support, involving covered stent implantation just below the previous PDA occluder. At the 3‐month follow‐up, the patient demonstrated significant clinical improvement, shifting to WHO class II–III, with a dramatic decrease in NT‐proBNP (5406–512 pg/ml) and an increased 6‐min walk distance (< 300 to 390 m). This case achieved short‐term recovery of cardiac function and long‐term maintenance of pulmonary vascular stability and demonstrates that the transcatheter Potts shunt is a feasible and effective life‐prolonging treatment option for severe PAH, even in patients with a history of prior PDA closure.