Guidance
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has issued full guidance to the NHS in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland on Percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation for right ventricular outflow tract dysfunction.
This document replaces previous guidance on percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation for right ventricular outflow tract dysfunction (NICE interventional procedure guidance 237, November 2007).
Description
Right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) dysfunction is the term given to abnormalities of the pulmonary valve (one of the valves in the heart) and the right ventricular outflow tract. It causes blood to flow abnormally between the heart and the lungs and is often congenital (present from birth). If left untreated right ventricular outflow tract dysfunction can reduce life expectancy. Faulty heart valves are usually replaced during open heart surgery, but with time the replacements can degenerate and fail. Using a catheter to implant an artificial valve is an alternative to further open heart surgery – it is a less invasive procedure, because it does not involve opening up the chest. In this procedure, the replacement valve is implanted through a catheter (a narrow tube), which is inserted through the skin and into a large vein in the groin and then into the pulmonary artery. The replacement valve is implanted within a wire mesh tube called a stent.
Coding and clinical classification codes for this guidance.