Intravascular stent implantation for the management of pulmonary artery stenosis

Pulmonary artery stenosis is a challenging problem in the management of congenital heart disease. Untreated pulmonary artery stenosis may contribute to increased mortality and morbidity, and lead to suboptimal results following surgical repair of congenital heart disease. Intravascular stent implantation has emerged as one of the preferred treatment options for pulmonary artery stenosis. However, issues regarding the effectiveness and complications of stent implantation for pulmonary artery stenosis need to be identified. In addition, difficulties of stent implantation in the paediatric setting, as a consequence of small vessel size and subsequent vessel growth, are also important considerations. This review will evaluate the short and long-term effectiveness, the outcomes and complications, and discuss the potential problems of stent implantation for pulmonary artery stenosis.