Pattern of Diagnostic and Interventional Catheterization/Cardio- Angiography and Data Analysis of Patients with Congenital Heart Diseases in Hamedan, Western Iran (2006-2012)

Congenital heart disease (CHD), the most common congenital anomalies in newborns, is the leading cause of death during the first year of life and is also associated with significant mortality and morbidity. Thus, paying special attention to the diagnosis and appropriate and timely treatment of CHD decreases its complications and burden on health services. In this hospital-based study, 1000 medical files were reviewed and the data were analyzed to identify the pattern and complications of diagnostic/interventional catheterization of CHD in Hamedan, western Iran, between 2006 and 2012. There were 362 (36.2%) cases of interventional catheterization. Mortality rate was 0.3% (3 cases in 1000).Transient major and minor complications were seen in less than 20% of the cases. The most common intervention was patent ductus arteriosus occlusion, followed by atrial septal defect occlusion, valvuloplasty, coarctation angioplasty, ventricular septal defect occlusion, coarctation of aorta, and stenting. The findings of this study can help establish not only valuable improvement in health policies for proper diagnostic and therapeutic facilities but also a database for future studies. Because with the appropriate team and skilled operator, the risk of the procedure is very low, we propose omitting cardiac catheterization from the list of invasive and high-risk procedures.