This week we explore a recent PHIS database study assessing clinical outcomes for transcatheter balloon dilation of the aortic valve in the setting of aortic valve stenosis in early life. Why do critical AS patients fare less well than those with severe AS? Is this an issue of procedural failure or patient characteristics? Is there adequate equipoise for a study comparing surgery to balloon dilation? Is such a study even feasible given the present day levels of surgical experience with neonatal aortic valve surgery? These are amongst the questions posed to Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Vandarbilt University, Dr. George Nicholson who is the senior author of this week's work.
