Spanish cardiac catheterization in congenital heart diseases registry. Second official report from the ACI-SEC and the GTH-SECPCC (2021)

Introduction and objectives: This is the 2021 annual activity report from the Interventional Cardiology Association of the Spanish Society of Cardiology (ACI-SEC), and the Interventional Working Group of the Spanish Society of Pediatric Cardiology (GTH-SECPCC). Methods: All Spanish centers with cath lab capabilities and interventional activity in congenital heart diseases were invited to participate. Data were collected online, analyzed by an external company, and ACI-SEC and GTH-SECPCC members. Results: A total of 16 centers participated—15 public and 1 private—including 34 cath labs with experience in congenital heart diseases, 7 of them (20.5%) exclusively dedicated to pediatric patients. A total of 1094 diagnostic studies (4.5% more than 2020) and 1553 interventional catheterizations (5.8% more than 2020) were registered. The most common procedures were atrial septal defect closure (336 cases), pulmonary branch artery angioplasty (231 cases), and percutaneous closure of the patent ductus arteriosus (228 cases). Interventional procedures were considered successful in 95% of the cases with rates of major procedural complication and in-hospital mortality of 2.7% and 0.2%, respectively. Conclusions: This is the second Spanish Cardiac Catheterization in Congenital Heart Diseases Registry report. A significant increase of diagnostic and interventional procedures was reported with a special increase of percutaneous valve implantation, ductus arteriosus closure, and aortic angioplasty. Most interventional techniques continue to demonstrate excellent safety and efficacy outcomes.