[Immature ovarian tumour and dilated myocardiopathy]. / Teratoma inmaduro de ovario y miocardiopatía dilatada.

Asymptomatic 2 month-old infant referred for evaluation of a hard abdominal mass on the left side. The ultrasound examination showed a solid-cystic tumour above the left kidney. The alpha-fetoprotein level was 2000ng/ml. The meta-iodobenzylguanidine (123-I-MIBG) showed no tumour uptake. At 48h, she showed signs of hypovolemic shock. The chest X-ray showed cardiomegaly with a cardiothoracic ratio of 0.7 and pulmonary congestion. The echocardiogram showed a dilated left ventricle with ejection fraction 35-40%. Anaemia, hypertension, hypervolemia and hyper-secretion of catecholamines were ruled out. The virology and metabolic screens were normal. The highly vascularised retroperitoneal tumour was resected without incident and confirmed the diagnosis of an immature Norris grade 2 teratoma grade. At 3 months the outcome was satisfactory. Teratomas are rare tumours in childhood that generally have a benign course. Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) secondary to, chromaffin cell tumours (phaeochromocytoma, neuroblastoma, ganglioneuroblastoma), leukaemia infiltrates, and treatment with anthracyclines have been described, but there is no case reported in the literature regarding a teratoma with dilated cardiomyopathy. Various cytokines, such as INF-α, IL-1, IL-6 may be secreted by tumour, promoting fibroblast activity in the heart and inducing apoptosis and myocardial fibrosis. Thus, in the case presented resection of the tumour mass responsible for this production, enables the heart to return to normal.

El cateterismo cardiaco como tratamiento de las cardiopatías congénitas / Cardiac catheterization as treatment for congenital heart diseases

Como resultado de los numerosos avances tecnológicos, un mayor número de cardiopatías congénitas son susceptibles de tratamiento en el laboratorio de hemodinámica. Las técnicas de imagen han mejorado tanto que han facilitado la selección de pacientes y el desarrollo de una gran variedad de dispositivos diseñados específicamente para su uso en niños. Esto significa que muchos pacientes podrían evitar la cirugía, y otros con cardiopatías complicadas podrían requerir un menor número de procedimientos quirúrgicos complejos. Otras ventajas del tratamiento percutáneo serían la más rápida recuperación y el acortamiento de la estancia hospitalaria de estos pacientes, así como la mejora de la calidad de vida a corto y medio plazo, aunque, por otro lado, aún quedan muchas incógnitas sobre los efectos a largo plazo de este tipo de procedimientos, de los que debemos hacer posteriores estudios de seguimiento (AU)

As a result of recent technological advances, more types of congenital heart disease are amenable to treatment in the cardiac catheter laboratory than ever before. Improved imaging techniques allow for better selection of patients and the development of a wide range of devices specifically for use in children means that many patients can avoid surgery altogether, while those with complex congenital heart disease may require fewer or less complex surgical procedures. This allows for a quicker recovery and a shorter hospital stay, and gives many patients an improved quality of life in the short to medium term. However, the long-term outcome for many of the newer forms of intervention is still unknown (AU)

[Primary cardiac tumours in infancy]. / Tumores cardíacos primarios en la infancia.

INTRODUCTION: Primary cardiac tumours are very rare in the paediatric age, their incidence varies from 0.0017 % to 0.28 %. More than 90 % are benign in nature. The most common variety is the rhabdomyoma, present in over 60 % of cases with tuberous sclerosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of medical records with a diagnosis of primary cardiac tumor between March 1977 and March 2007, finding a total of 27 patients. RESULTS: The age of initial diagnosis is more prevalent in the neonatal period, beginning with the discovery of a heart murmur (11 cases). There was no difference in gender distribution. In 14 patients were found cardiomegaly on chest radiograph. According to the echocardiography characteristics there were diagnosed 20 rhabdomyomas, 2 fibromas, 2 pericardial teratomas and 3 non classifiable tumours. Most were located in the left ventricle. Echocardiography, cardiac catheterization was also performed in 3 cases and angioresonance in 5 cases. During their evolution, episodes of arrhythmias were observed in 11 patients, 5 patients required some sort of surgical procedure, which confirmed the histopathology diagnosis. In 3 patients the initial cause of death was cardiological. The 75 % of cases with rhabdomyomas presented or developed tuberous sclerosis. In most of the rhabdomyomas (13 cases), there was a spontaneous regression. CONCLUSIONS: Firstly, there is shown to be a low prevalence of this disorder in children. Rhabdomyoma is the most common primary cardiac tumour in our study and it was associated in 75 % of cases with tuberous sclerosis. The diagnosis is more common in the early neonatal period after auscultation of a cardiac murmur and echocardiography, the diagnostic technique of choice, other imaging techniques, such as angioMRI not being of much for diagnosis in children. The emergence of foetal echocardiography allows early detection. The course is benign in most tumours, rhabdomyomas tending to regress spontaneously. It must be monitored as the occurrence of arrhythmias during its evolution will require medical treatment. Surgery is needed in cases with severe symptoms, due to obstruction in the ventricular output tracts. One option is the surgical cardiac transplant in non-resectable life-threatening tumours.

Tumores cardíacos primarios en la infancia / Primary cardiac tumours in infancy

Introducción: Los tumores cardíacos primarios son muy poco frecuentes en la edad pediátrica, y su incidencia varía entre el 0,0017 y el 0,28 %. Más del 90 % son de naturaleza benigna. La variedad más frecuente es el rabdomioma, asociado en más del 60 % de los casos con esclerosis tuberosa. Material y métodos: Se realizó un análisis retrospectivo de historias clínicas con diagnóstico de tumor cardíaco primario entre marzo de 1977 y marzo de 2007, y se encontró a un total de 27 pacientes. Resultados: La edad de diagnóstico inicial es más frecuente en el período neonatal, a partir del hallazgo de un soplo cardíaco (11 casos). No hubo diferencias en la distribución por sexos. En 14 pacientes se encontró cardiomegalia en la radiografía de tórax. De acuerdo con las características ecocardiográficas, se diagnosticaron 20 rabdomiomas, 2 fibromas, 2 teratomas pericárdicos y 3 tumores no clasificables. La mayor parte se localizaron en el ventrículo izquierdo. Además de la ecocardiografía, se realizó cateterismo cardíaco en 3 casos y angiorresonancia en 5 casos. Durante su evolución se constataron episodios de arritmias en 11 pacientes. En 5 se requirió algún tipo de procedimiento quirúrgico, en los que se obtuvo el diagnóstico anatomopatológico. La mortalidad inicial de causa cardiológica fue de 3 pacientes. El 75 % de casos con rabdomiomas presentaba o desarrolló esclerosis tuberosa. En la mayoría de los rabdomiomas (13 casos) se produjo regresión espontánea. Conclusiones: En primer lugar, se evidencia la baja prevalencia de esta patología en la infancia. El rabdomioma es el tumor cardíaco primario más frecuente y en nuestro estudio se asoció en el 75 % de los casos a esclerosis tuberosa. El diagnóstico es más frecuente en el período neonatal precoz tras la auscultación de un soplo cardíaco y la ecocardiografía, la técnica diagnóstica de elección, mientras que no se ha encontrado utilidad de otras técnicas de imagen, como la angiorresonancia, para su diagnóstico en la población infantil. La aparición de la ecocardiografía fetal permite descubrirlos precozmente. El curso es benigno en la mayoría de los tumores, con tendencia a la regresión espontánea en los rabdomiomas. Debe vigilarse la aparición de arritmias durante su evolución, que precisará tratamiento médico. La cirugía es necesaria en los casos con síntomas graves, debidos a obstrucción en los tractos de salida ventricular. Una opción quirúrgica es el transplante cardíaco en caso de tumores irresecables con riesgo vital (AU)

Introduction: Primary cardiac tumours are very rare in the paediatric age, their incidence varies from 0.0017 % to 0.28 %. More than 90 % are benign in nature. The most common variety is the rhabdomyoma, present in over 60 % of cases with tuberous sclerosis. Material and methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of medical records with a diagnosis of primary cardiac tumor between March 1977 and March 2007, finding a total of 27 patients. Results: The age of initial diagnosis is more prevalent in the neonatal period, beginning with the discovery of a heart murmur (11 cases). There was no difference in gender distribution. In 14 patients were found cardiomegaly on chest radiograph. According to the echocardiography characteristics there were diagnosed 20 rhabdomyomas, 2 fibromas, 2 pericardial teratomas and 3 non classifiable tumours. Most were located in the left ventricle. Echocardiography, cardiac catheterization was also performed in 3 cases and angioresonance in 5 cases. During their evolution, episodes of arrhythmias were observed in 11 patients, 5 patients required some sort of surgical procedure, which confirmed the histopathology diagnosis. In 3 patients the initial cause of death was cardiological. The 75 % of cases with rhabdomyomas presented or developed tuberous sclerosis. In most of the rhabdomyomas (13 cases), there was a spontaneous regression. Conclusions: Firstly, there is shown to be a low prevalence of this disorder in children. Rhabdomyoma is the most common primary cardiac tumour in our study and it was associated in 75 % of cases with tuberous sclerosis. The diagnosis is more common in the early neonatal period after auscultation of a cardiac murmur and echocardiography, the diagnostic technique of choice, other imaging techniques, such as angioMRI not being of much for diagnosis in children. The emergence of foetal echocardiography allows early detection. The course is benign in most tumours, rhabdomyomas tending to regress spontaneously. It must be monitored as the occurrence of arrhythmias during its evolution will require medical treatment. Surgery is needed in cases with severe symptoms, due to obstruction in the ventricular output tracts. One option is the surgical cardiac transplant in non-resectable life-threatening tumours (AU)

Revisión de las técnicas de imagen en cardiología pediátrica. Un enfoque actualizado / Review of the imaging techniques in pediatric cardiology. An update approach

La cardiología pediátrica ha experimentado recientementegrandes avances en los campos dediagnóstico y tratamiento. Para planificar el tratamientoy la cirugía de las malformaciones cardiacascongénitas es esencial el conocimiento detallado desu anatomía y hemodinámica. Durante mucho tiempoel cateterismo cardiaco y la angiografía han sidolos únicos métodos para obtener dicha información.En los últimos 20 años se han desarrollado multitudde nuevos métodos de diagnóstico no invasivos. Elobjetivo de este artículo es describir la utilidad diagnósticade estas técnicas en la cardiología pediátrica

Pediatric cardiology has recently experienced highadvances in the diagnostic and therapeutical fields.To plan the treatment and surgery of congenital heartmalformations is essential a detailed knowledgeof anatomy and hemodynamics. For many years heartcatheterization and angiocardiography have beenthe only methods of obtaining this information. Duringthe past 20 years several non-invasive diagnosticmethods have been developed. This article aimsto describe the diagnostic utility of this tecniques inpediatric cardiology

Ductus arterioso persistente en el recién nacido pretérmino / Patent ductus arteriosus in preterm infants

El conducto arterioso persistente (DAP) complicala evolución de los niños prematuros. La incidenciade DAP es inversamente proporcional a la edad degestación. La clínica permite hacer un diagnósticode DAP pero por lo general de forma tardía, especialmenteen niños de peso extremadamente bajo alnacer, por lo que actualmente se utiliza la ecografíapara hacer un diagnóstico precoz. El tratamientoprecoz del ductus aumenta el porcentaje de éxitosde cierre y disminuye la morbilidad pulmonar. Tantoindometacina como ibuprofeno son válidos para eltratamiento médico. La cirugía está indicada en casode fracaso o contraindicación del tratamiento médico

A patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) complicates theclinical course of preterm infants. The incidence ofPDA is inversely proportional to the age of gestation.Symtomatic PDA is in general a late diagnosis, especiallyin infants of extremely low birth weight(ELBW), that is why nowadays we can use echocardiographicmarkers for an early diagnostic. Early treatmentimproves the outcome and decreases therisk of pulmonary morbidity. Indomethacin and ibuprofenboth are effective treatment to close a PDA.Surgical ligation of PDA is only preferred in case offailure or no possible medical treatment

[Ibuprofen versus indomethacin in the treatment of patent ductus arteriosus in preterm infants]. / Ibuprofeno frente a indometacina en el tratamiento del conducto arterioso persistente del prematuro.

INTRODUCTION: Persistent patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is a common entity in preterm infants. The most commonly used pharmacological treatment to close the ductus is indomethacin but it can affect cerebral, renal and mesenteric blood flow. Ibuprofen has recently been shown to be effective in closing PDA with fewer hemodynamic effects. In this study we compared the safety and efficacy of ibuprofen and indomethacin in the treatment of PDA in preterm infants. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A randomized trial was performed. Premature infants with symptomatic PDA confirmed by echocardiography in the first week of life and who required respiratory support were included. The patients were randomly assigned to receive either intravenous indomethacin or ibuprofen. The rate of ductal closure, need for additional treatment, complications, and clinical course were evaluated. RESULTS: Twenty-four patients were treated with indomethacin and 23 with ibuprofen. The clinical characteristics before treatment were similar in both groups. Both treatments were effective in closing PDA (87.5% in the indomethacin group and 82.6% in the ibuprofen group). The two cohorts did not differ in the rate of reopening, need for a second pharmacologic treatment, or surgical ductal ligation. No patient in the ibuprofen group developed gastrointestinal adverse effects, but two infants in the indomethacin group had isolated bowel perforation and one had necrotizing enterocolitis. Transient renal dysfunction developed in seven patients (29%) in the indomethacin group versus two (9%) in the ibuprofen group. Transient renal insufficiency was found in one patient in the indomethacin group and in none in the ibuprofen group. The rate of other complications was similar in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: In our trial ibuprofen was as effective as indomethacin in closing PDA. No significant differences were found in the incidence of complications but fewer renal complications and no gastrointestinal complications were found in the ibuprofen group.

Ibuprofeno frente a indometacina en el tratamiento del conducto arterioso persistente del premature / Ibuprofen versus indomethacin in the treatment of patient ductus arteriosus in preterm infants

Introducción. El conducto (ductus) arterioso persistente (DAP) es una enfermedad frecuente en el prematuro. La indometacina es el tratamiento más utilizado en su cierre, pero puede alterar el flujo cerebral, renal y mesentérico. Recientemente el ibuprofeno ha mostrado ser eficaz en el cierre del DAP con menores efectos hemodinámicos. Este estudio se realizó para comparar la eficacia y seguridad del ibuprofeno frente a la indometacina en el cierre del DAP en el prematuro. Material y métodos. Estudio aleatorizado que incluyó prematuros con DAP sintomáticos, diagnosticados mediante ecografía en la primera semana de vida, que precisaron soporte ventilatorio. Los pacientes fueron asignados aleatoriamente a indometacina o ibuprofeno por vía intravenosa. Se evaluó la tasa de cierre ductal, la necesidad de tratamiento adicional, las complicaciones y la evolución clínica. Resultados. Se trataron 24 pacientes con indometacina y 23 con ibuprofeno. Sus características clínicas previas al diagnóstico fueron similares. Ambos tratamientos se mostraron eficaces en el cierre, 87,5 % para la indometacina y 82,6 % para el ibuprofeno. Las dos cohortes no se diferenciaron en la frecuencia de reaperturas, necesidad de dos tandas de fármaco, ni proporción de ligaduras quirúrgicas. Ningún paciente tratado con ibuprofeno presentó enfermedad abdominal que sí apareció en el grupo de indometacina (dos perforaciones intestinales y una enterocolitis necrosante). Siete pacientes (29 %) del grupo de indometacina desarrollaron disfunción renal transitoria frente a 2 casos (9 %) en el de ibuprofeno. En el grupo de indometacina un paciente experimentó insuficiencia renal transitoria y ninguno en el de ibuprofeno. El resto de complicaciones fue similar en ambos grupos. Conclusiones. En nuestra serie el ibuprofeno se mostró igual de eficaz que la indometacina en el cierre del DAP. No hubo diferencias significativas en la incidencia de complicaciones entre ambos grupos, aunque los tratados con ibuprofeno tuvieron menos complicaciones renales y ninguna intestinal

Introduction. Persistent patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is a common entity in preterm infants. The most commonly used pharmacological treatment to close the ductus is indomethacin but it can affect cerebral, renal and mesenteric blood flow. Ibuprofen has recently been shown to be effective in closing PDA with fewer hemodynamic effects. In this study we compared the safety and efficacy of ibuprofen and indomethacin in the treatment of PDA in preterm infants. Material and methods. A randomized trial was performed. Premature infants with symptomatic PDA confirmed by echocardiography in the first week of life and who required respiratory support were included. The patients were randomly assigned to receive either intravenous indomethacin or ibuprofen. The rate of ductal closure, need for additional treatment, complications, and clinical course were evaluated. Results. Twenty-four patients were treated with indomethacin and 23 with ibuprofen. The clinical characteristics before treatment were similar in both groups. Both treatments were effective in closing PDA (87.5 % in the indomethacin group and 82.6 % in the ibuprofen group). The two cohorts did not differ in the rate of reopening, need for a second pharmacologic treatment, or surgical ductal ligation. No patient in the ibuprofen group developed gastrointestinal adverse effects, but two infants in the indomethacin group had isolated bowel perforation and one had necrotizing enterocolitis. Transient renal dysfunction developed in seven patients (29 %) in the indomethacin group versus two (9 %) in the ibuprofen group. Transient renal insufficiency was found in one patient in the indomethacin group and in none in the ibuprofen group. The rate of other complications was similar in both groups. Conclusions. In our trial ibuprofen was as effective as indomethacin in closing PDA. No significant differences were found in the incidence of complications but fewer renal complications and no gastrointestinal complications were found in the ibuprofen group