Morphology of perforated atrial septal aneurysm suitable for closure by transcatheter device placement.

OBJECTIVE: To define the morphological criteria of perforated atrial septal aneurysms suitable for closure by a transcatheter device. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of all consecutive patients with atrial septal aneurysm and one or more perforations presenting between May 1997 and June 1999. The aneurysms were classified as: aneurysm with persistent foramen ovale (type A); aneurysm with single atrial septal defect (type B); aneurysm with two perforations requiring more than one device for closure (type C); and aneurysm with multiple perforations (type D). PATIENTS: Data from 50 patients aged 5-78 years (mean 43 years) were analysed; 32 had systemic thromboembolism or transient ischaemic attacks, eight presented with dyspnoea on exercise, and 10 were discovered incidentally but had significant left to right shunt and right ventricular volume overload. RESULTS: In all 18 patients with aneurysm and persistent foramen ovale (type A), transcatheter closure was possible. In nine with aneurysm and atrial septal defect (type B), five defects were closed and four required surgery. Device closure was achieved in all 10 patients with aneurysms and two perforations (type C), but four had a residual shunt. Thirteen patients with multiple perforated aneurysms (type D) underwent surgery. CONCLUSIONS: This classification of morphology of perforations of aneurysm is clinically useful for selecting patients for treatment by transcatheter devices.

Comparison of acute effects on right ventricular haemodynamics of surgical versus interventional closure of atrial septal defects.

OBJECTIVES: We compared the acute effects on right ventricular haemodynamics of surgical versus transcatheter closure of medium-sized atrial septal defects. METHODS: We studied 47 consecutive patients with a defect in the oval fossa and a ratio of pulmonary to systemic flows between 1.5: 1 and 2: 1. They were divided into two groups according to whether the defects were closed by surgery, performed in 23 patients, or by interventional catheterization, achieved in 24 patients. By means of transthoracic cross-sectional echocardiography, we measured right ventricular end-diastolic and endsystolic volumes and calculated ejection fractions. These calculations were performed before, and between 1 and 7 days after closure of the defect. RESULTS: Before closure of the defect, all patients had an enlarged right ventricle with normal function. After closure by either method, there was no difference in the rate of normalization of end-diastolic volume, but endsystolic volume remained enlarged. Thus, the calculated ejection fraction was lower than before closure. CONCLUSIONS: There was no difference in right ventricular volumes or function early after closure of atrial septal defects, irrespective of whether this was achieved surgically or via transcatheter closure.

Incidence of secondary pulmonary hypertension in adults with atrial septal or sinus venosus defects.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the incidence of raised pulmonary artery pressure and resistance in adults with isolated atrial septal defect within the oval fossa (so called secundum defect) or sinus venosus defect. DESIGN: A historical, retrospective, unrandomised study. SETTING: A tertiary referral centre. METHODS: Cardiac catheterisation was performed in all patients, with measurement of pulmonary artery pressure and resistance. Pulmonary to systemic flow ratio was calculated using the Fick principle. Pulmonary hypertension was defined as mean pulmonary artery pressure > 30 mm Hg, and increased resistance as an Rp/Rs ratio > 0.3. PATIENTS: All patients with a secundum atrial septal or sinus venosus defect who presented between July 1988 and December 1997 were enrolled in the study. RESULTS: Pulmonary artery pressure and resistance in the patients with sinus venosus defect (n = 31) was higher than in patients with atrial septal defect (n = 138). Pulmonary hypertension was present in 26% of patients with sinus venosus and in 9% of patients with atrial septal defect. The incidence of raised pulmonary vascular resistance was 16% in patients with sinus venosus and 4% in patients with atrial septal defect. The increase in resistance occurred at a younger age in sinus venosus defect than in atrial septal defect. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with sinus venosus defect have higher pulmonary pressures and resistances and develop these complications at younger age than patients with atrial septal defects. Thus they should be managed differently than patients with "simple" atrial septal defects.

[Diagnosis and surgical treatment of atrial septal defects in adults]. / Diagnose und chirurgische Behandlung von Vorhofseptumdefekten im Erwachsenenalter.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The value of surgical closure of an atrial septal defect (ASD) in adults is currently under discussion, because the operative risk is thought to be high and there are no reliable data about postoperative change in quality of life. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The case notes of 205 patients (149 women, 56 men, mean age 41.4 years) in whom an ASD had been surgically closed were analysed retrospectively. Preoperative symptoms, complications, arrhythmias, pulmonary artery pressure and the influence of the operative closure on quality of life (criteria of the New York Heart Association [NYHA]) were noted. RESULTS: At the time of diagnosis 138 (66%) of patients had complained of dyspnoea or palpitations, four had sustained a stroke and two had had endocarditis. Atrial fibrillation or flutter was present in 55 (27%). 47 (23%) were in class III or IV (NYHA). Mean age at operation was 42.2 (18-74.9) years. One patient, a woman with pulmonary hypertension, died and one patient suffered a stroke. The number of patients with atrial fibrillation or flutter fell to 31 (15%) postoperatively and 176 patients (86%) moved to a better NYHA class, especially those who had been in class IV. CONCLUSIONS: These data show that surgical closure of ASD in adults is reasonable, because the operative mortality is low, the quality of life is improved postoperatively and there is a reduced incidence of arrhythmias.

[The value of magnetic resonance tomography (MRT) for evaluating ventricular and anastomotic functions in patients with an extra- or intracardiac total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC)-modified Fontan operation]. / Wertigkeit der Magnetresonanztomographie (MRT) zur Beurteilung der Ventrikel- und Anastomosen-Funktion bei Patienten mit extra- oder intrakardialer totaler cavopulmonaler Anastomose (TCPC)-modifizierte Fontan-Operation.

PURPOSE: To evaluate different MR methods (ventricle and flow measurements) for the postoperative follow-up of hemodynamics in patients with extra- or intracardial TCPC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-eight consecutive patients (14 female, 14 male) within the ages of two to thirty-eight years were examined using a 1.5 T Gyroscan ACS-NT scanner (Philips, Best, Netherlands). 7 patients had an extracardial (eTCPC), and 21 an intracardial (iTCPC) tunnel. The calculation of the ventricular function and muscle mass was performed using "multislice-multiphase" technique by summing up the end-diastolic and end-systolic areas; the flow measurements were evaluated by phase shift velocity mapping in the superior vena cava (SVC), inferior vena cava (IVC), right (RPA) and left (LPA) pulmonary artery. Besides peak and mean velocity, the mean and maximal flow volumes (ml/min) were calculated. RESULTS: Ejection fraction (EF) of the functionally single ventricle was within the normal range (mean 57%) in 22/28 patients while mean muscle mass was elevated in the group with eTCPC (mean 121 g/m2). The mean flow volumes and the peak velocities in all vessels were higher in the group with iTCPC as compared to the one with eTCPC. Clinically relevant retrograde flows in the IVC were only found in the group with iTCPC (7/21), as well as a significant predominant flow distribution towards the RPA (p < 0.05; Wilcoxon signed-rank test); in the group with eTCPC towards the LPA (n.s.). CONCLUSIONS: MRI is a useful method for the assessment of ventricular function and muscle mass in the follow-up after the modified Fontan operation. MRI flow measurements additionally provided clinically relevant information about the hemodynamics in Fontan patients.

[Aerosolized prostacyclin for preoperative evaluation and post-cardiosurgical treatment of patients with pulmonary hypertension]. / Aerosolisiertes Prostazyklin zur präoperativen Evaluation und postkardiochirurgischen Behandlung von Patienten mit pulmonaler Hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Inhaled nitric oxide (NO) has been shown to selectively lower pulmonary vascular resistance and is applied in patients with pulmonary hypertension (PHT). However, application and monitoring is complex and not always successful ("non-responders"). We evaluated the effect of aerolized prostacyclin (aePGI2) as a therapeutic alternate to NO. PATIENTS AND METHODS: aePGI2 and NO were applied to patients with different causes of pulmonary hypertension (Group 1a: preoperative patients with intracardiac shunting defects and Eisenmenger's disease, n = 30; Group 1b: patients with primary or postoperative PHT, n = 13; Group 2: PHT immediately following surgery for congenital heart disease, n = 6). RESULTS: Pulmonary vascular resistance could be lowered significantly (Group 1a: from 91% of systemic vascular resistance to 58% with NO and 53% with aePGI2; Group 1b: from 20.2 Wood Units*m2 to 13.4 and 11.3; Group 2: from 24.9 Wood Units*m2 to 9.5 and 10.5); cardiac index increased (Group 1b: from 2.96 to 3.55 and 3.96 l/min*m2, Group 2: from 1.57 to 1.89 and 2.00 l/min*m2). CONCLUSIONS: The short-term application of aePGI2 shows a selective pulmonary vasodilation similar to NO. Given adequate monitoring, aePGI2 appears to be useful for the acute treatment of PHT.