Interpretation of the echocardiographic pressure gradient across a pulmonary artery band in the setting of a univentricular heart

Abstract

Pulmonary artery (PA) banding has been established as a palliative surgical technique for congenital heart defects for over 50 years [1]. With the advent of earlier corrective surgery, the indications for PA banding have changed over time [2, 3]. Currently these include: (a) limitation of pulmonary blood flow in the setting of an excessive left-toright shunt; (b) regulation of pulmonary blood flow in the univentricular circulation; and (c) a training procedure for the left ventricle prior to conversion to the systemic pumping chamber (late presentation of D-transposition of the great arteries, or prior to a double-switch procedure with L-transposition).