Stereotaxis 3D system treats pulmonary atresia in German pediatric patient

The pediatric cardiology team at the Heart and Diabetes Center of North Reinland-Westphalia in Bad Oeynhausen, Germany, has performed a first-of-its-kind-procedure to treat pulmonary atresia in a 10-year-old boy. The procedure was performed with Stereotaxis’ Niobe magnetic navigation system.

Pulmonary atresia is a congenital malformation of the pulmonary valve that obstructs the flow of blood from the heart to the lungs, which forces the blood to flow to the lungs through a ventricular septal defect, and around a circuitous route.

The patient had failed a previous surgical attempt to correct the atresia because there were no vessels of adequate size or quality to utilize, according to the St. Louis, Mo.-based Stereotaxis.

After two conventional catheterization attempts, the Bad Oeynhausen team, lead by Nikolaus Haas, MD, director of the cath lab in the department of congenital heart defects at the Heart and Diabetes Center, used Stereotaxis’ software to create a 3D model of the tortuous vessels that had replaced this patient's absent pulmonary artery. 

Fewer than two days after the procedure, the company said that the patient was discharged from the hospital. Hass believes that the patient will experience still greater improvement after a second, planned procedure to improve blood flow to his right lung, and that the patient is well on the road to being able to participate in day-to-day activities.