Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate complications of cardiac catheterization (CC) procedures in a pediatric cardiology center.

Methods: The clinical records of 781 cardiac catheterizations were reviewed to identify procedure-associated complications. Catheterizations were grouped as diagnostic or interventional procedures. A complication was classified as a major or a minor.

Results: Patient ages ranged from 1 day to 28.8 years (median 3.3 years). Interventional catheterizations represented 58.5% of total procedures. Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), atrial septal defect (ASD), and aortic coarctation were the most common diagnoses in our cohort. PDA occlusion, ASD closure, pulmonary valvuloplasty, angioplasty/stenting for aortic coarctation, and aortic valve dilation were the most commonly performed interventional catheterizations. Complications were detected in 17.5% of all procedures. Major complications were 2.3% for all procedures. Decreased/absent pulses were the most common complication in all categories (8.1%). The mortality rate of cardiac catheterization procedures was 0.5%. Relative to diagnostic procedures, interventional catheterizations were associated with a greater risk of complications.

Conclusion: Our study’s success and complication rates were similar to other studies. Complications of CC depend on the severity of the underlying congenital heart disease and the type of procedure.

Keywords: Cardiac catheterization, complication, patent ductus arteriosus, atrial septal defect, aortic coarctation