Percutaneous Direct Cardiac Catheterization

Abstract

COMPREHENSIVE assessment of the aortic valve in severe valvular stenosis, in the presence of peripheral arteriosclerosis and in infants is difficult or impossible by the "retrograde" approach through the aortic valve. In these circumstances various technics for puncture of the left ventricle^{1 , 2} or the left atrium^{3 4 5} have been applied that have offered less opportunity for selective angiography and have resulted in a relatively higher morbidity and mortality. The transseptal technic^{6 , 7} offers an excellent and safe approach for assessment of the mitral valve but is less satisfactory for complete aortic-valve evaluation.Our approach consists of introducing a small and short catheter . . .