Journal of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery

In neonates with atrioventricular and ventriculoarterial discordant connection (AVD, VAD), ventricular septal defect (VSD), and extremely severe pulmonary stenosis such as a pin hole (ESPS) without arterial duct, a type of systemic-pulmonary shunt (SPS) is usually performed as the first palliation to establish the pulmonary blood flow because it is difficult or risky to perform percutaneous balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty (BPV). However, following SPS, it is possible to make a femoral artery (FA)–SPS–femoral vein (FV) wire loop that enables performing BPV safely. In two infants with AVD, VAD, VSD, ESPS, we performed BPV using a “FA–SPS–FV wire loop” assist without complications as the second palliation to increase pulmonary blood flow. The “FA–SPS–FV wire loop” is a safe and useful technique to support BPV also for patients with AVD, VAD, VSD, and ESPS.