Abstract

Coarctation of the aorta is a congenital heart disease with high rates of morbidity and mortality, which is usually underdiagnosed despite the availability of diagnostic tests. The degree of severity of the clinical manifestations of coarctation of the aorta will depend on the level of obstruction, as well as the presence of cardiac defects and associated extracardiac lesions. In the pediatric population the most used therapeutic modality is surgical correction; while balloon angioplasty and stent placement are less used in this population, since they are associated with a greater risk of restenosis with the subsequent reintervention; these techniques are mostly used in older patients. Despite the success in the repair of coarctation of the aorta, patients should continue a close long-term follow-up, which includes periodic blood pressure measurements, as well as imaging studies that assess the cardiac structure, due to the late onset of associated cardiovascular complications.

Key words: Pons Varolii; pain; fifth cranial nerve; compression, nerve root; microsurgery.