Key Points and Challenges in Management of Coarctation of Aorta in Pediatrics: Review Article

Abstract

Background: One of the most prevalent causes of shock and mortality in newborns is coarctation of the aorta (CoA). Because there are  no audible murmurs and the blockage from the coarctation does not emerge for several days after birth, it may be the most difficult kind of serious congenital heart disease (CHD) to detect. Despite the ease of clinical diagnosis, pediatric patients often go undetected since they are often asymptomatic.

Objective: This review aimed to highlight the key points and challenges in management of COA in pediatrics.

Methods: We searched PubMed, Google Scholar, and Science Direct using the following keywords: Balloon dilatation, stent, coarctation  of the aorta, and patent ductus arteriosus. The writers also assessed references from pertinent literature and they only included the most  current or comprehensive study. Documents in languages other than English had not been included since there are insufficient  sources available for translation. They excluded unpublished manuscripts, oral presentations, conference abstracts, and dissertations  where they were not considered part of the scope of important scientific inquiries.

Conclusion: The majority of coarctation falls into two categories: Critical CoA, which causes symptoms within two months of birth and if left untreated, results in mortality, and asymptomatic  CoA, which appears later, generally with hypertension in the upper limbs. Critical CoA accounts for approximately 60% of all coarctation.  Despite, improvements in medical care and management strategies, long-term survival has not altered much.