Long-term follow-up of the St. Jude Medical prosthesis in pediatric patients.

BACKGROUND: The St. Jude Medical prosthesis has become the most commonly used artificial heart valve, yet few data are available in the pediatric population. This study addresses results of the use of this prosthetic valve in pediatric patients over a 13-year time frame. METHODS: From January 1982 through June 1994, 73 patients (49 male) underwent 75 valve replacements using the St. Jude Medical prosthesis at Minneapolis Children's Medical Center. Follow-up was complete in 71 patients, with a mean follow-up of 39 +/- 32 months (mean +/- standard deviation; range, 4 to 142 months). RESULTS: Valves' positions were aortic in 36 patients, mitral or left atrioventricular valve in 34, tricuspid in 1, and double valve in 2. Patient age was 8 +/- 6 years, with a range of 1 week to 19 years. Sixteen patients were less than 24 months of age at valve replacement. Prior cardiac procedures had been performed in 82% of mitral patients, 58% of aortic patients, and all of the tricuspid and double-valve patients. Elective valve replacement was performed in 62 to 73 patients (85%). Seven patients (44%) less than 24 months of age had urgent valve replacement; 4 patients (7%) older than 24 months required urgent valve replacement. Overall early mortality was 8% (6 of 73); 36% (4 of 11) in the patients undergoing urgent valve replacement and 3% (2 of 62) in the elective group. All but one of the deaths were due to cardiac dysfunction. There were four late deaths, from 4 to 125 months postoperative, primarily caused by congestive heart failure or pulmonary vascular disease. Cumulative freedom from valve-related events was 93%, 85%, and 77% at 1, 5, and 10 years, respectively. Valve-related complications included thromboembolism (4), bleeding (5), perivalvar leak requiring reoperation (2), transient ischemic attack (1), and endocarditis (1). There have been no permanent strokes or mechanical malfunction. The majority of patients are currently managed with warfarin. Five surviving patients whose initial valve replacement was at age 24 months or younger have undergone repeat valve replacement (42%). Ninety-five percent of patients enjoy good health at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The St. Jude Medical prosthesis offers correction of valvular disease with low morbidity and mortality, and excellent functional result.

Survival after emergency department versus operating room thoracotomy for penetrating cardiac injuries.

The authors undertook a 6-year retrospective review to assess their experience with penetrating cardiac injuries. Special emphasis was placed on identifying patients with and without tamponade and those requiring emergency department (ED) thoracotomy. Forty-eight patients were identified. Overall survival was 64.6 per cent. Thirty-three patients had tamponade, with 20 requiring ED thoracotomy. Fifteen patients did not have tamponade and two of these needed ED thoracotomy. Five patients who had ED thoracotomy were long-term survivors (22.7%). The remaining 26 patients, 13 with tamponade and 13 without, received operating room (OR) thoracotomy and all survived. The data shows that excellent results are possible with OR thoracotomy for penetrating cardiac injuries, with or without tamponade. However, results are not as good when ED thoracotomy is necessary. This may relate to the severity of the injury, the duration of tamponade, or the inability to control cardiac bleeding during thoracotomy in the ED setting. Even though survival is low with ED thoracotomy, it is high enough to continue to support its use in the deteriorating patient with a penetrating cardiac wound.

Toward a durable and safe aortic root reconstruction.

The development of acceptable and durable aortic root operations has been interesting. With trial and error there has been a progressive intrusion on the aortic valve and coronary arteries. Many surgeons have contributed to this progression, with the final step being taken by Dr Bentall in 1968. Since that time has come a gradual application of this more complete operation and a better understanding of its advantages.

Atypical total anomalous pulmonary venous connection: two channels leading to infracardiac terminations.

Reported is a rare case of total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC) where veins from each lung joined a homolateral confluence. From each confluence, a vein descended into the abdomen, the vein from the right lung joining the ductus venosus, while the vein from the left joined the portal vein. In TAPVC to systemic veins, multiple connections are rare. Multiple connections are most common at supracardiac and cardiac levels, less common at supra- and infracardiac levels, and rare at cardiac and infracardiac levels. From the literature, it is evident that multiple connections at one body level, as in our case, are rare.

Coronary artery bypass surgery in patients on maintenance dialysis: long-term survival.

Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) can be performed with acceptable risk and results in symptomatic improvement in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). However, the effect of CABG on long-term survival in these patients is unknown. We retrospectively identified 39 patients (group 1) with ESRD who underwent CABG for intractable angina between January 1975 and February 1987 while on maintenance dialysis. Thirty-nine dialysis patients (group 2) were also retrospectively selected for comparison and matched for age, sex, year of initiation, length of time on dialysis, and presence of diabetes mellitus and atherosclerotic heart disease at initiation of dialysis. Using life-table analysis, survival probability (with 95% confidence limits) was determined from the time of CABG for group 1 or after an equivalent period of time on dialysis for group 2. Two life-table analyses were performed; one with study end-points of death, withdrawal (renal transplantation, transfer to other dialysis facilities, and reoperation), and alive on dialysis; and a second with identical end points except that noncardiac deaths were treated as withdrawals. Coronary arteriography revealed severe three vessel disease, left ventricular dysfunction, and segmental wall motion abnormalities in most patients. A mean (+/- SD) of 2.56 +/- 0.75 vessels were bypassed with an operative mortality (30 days) of 2.6%. Mean follow-up after CABG in group 1 was 34.9 +/- 30.1 months, and in most patients functional classification improved. Mean follow-up for group 2 was 17.2 +/- 15.2 months. Two-year survival was 91.7% in group 1 and 51.4% in group 2 (P less than 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Two-dimensional echocardiographic identification of complicated aortic root endocarditis: implications for surgery.

Two-dimensional echocardiography successfully displayed the location and extent of aortic root complications, annular abscess or mycotic aneurysm in nine patients with aortic valve endocarditis. Five of the nine patients had prosthetic valve endocarditis and four had native valve endocarditis. The infective process extended into the paravalvular structures, including the interventricular septum (seven patients), right ventricular outflow tract (three patients), interatrial septum (one patient) and anterior mitral valve leaflet (four patients). The amount of aorto-left ventricular discontinuity caused by these complications was quantitated in degrees of annular circumference on the parasternal short axis image and in distance on the parasternal long axis image. The echocardiographic findings were confirmed at surgery and were helpful in the preoperative anticipation of the type of surgical procedure required: aortic valve replacement or composite aortic valve and root replacement. Five patients had prosthetic valve endocarditis with calculated aorto-left ventricular discontinuity of 173 +/- 55 degrees on parasternal short axis images and 1.36 +/- 0.72 cm on parasternal long axis images. Initial surgical repair included three composite aortic root-valve prosthesis implants, one reconstructive procedure with valve replacement and one simple aortic valve replacement. During a follow-up period of 18 months (range 1 to 35), a second reparative procedure was required for only one patient to repair an aortic conduit to coronary artery venous bypass graft. Four patients had native valve endocarditis with calculated aorto-left ventricular discontinuity of 100 +/- 17 degrees on parasternal short axis images and 0.88 +/- 63 cm on parasternal long axis images. Initial surgical repair included two reconstructive procedures with valve replacement and two simple aortic valve replacements. During a follow-up period of 30 months (range 16 to 42), three of these four patients required a second reparative procedure: one each for repair of a paraprosthetic leak, a ventricular septal defect and persistent aorto-left ventricular discontinuity. Two-dimensional echocardiography accurately detected aortic annular abscess and mycotic aneurysm complicating aortic valve endocarditis and the resultant degree of aorto-left ventricular discontinuity. Circumferential aorto-left ventricular discontinuity with these complications is greater for prosthetic than native valve endocarditis and predicts a more extensive surgical repair.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Extreme dyspnea from unilateral pulmonary venous obstruction. Demonstration of a vagal mechanism and relief by right vagotomy.

A 43-yr-old woman developed severe exertional dyspnea after an unsuccessful attempt to correct a total right anomalous pulmonary venous connection. A clotted anastomosis resulted in unilateral pulmonary venous obstruction. Investigation excluded airway disease, left ventricular failure, and severe pulmonary hypertension as the cause of dyspnea. Exercise studies demonstrated a markedly abnormal ventilatory pattern consistent with excess vagal stimuli to the respiratory center. Temporary and then permanent vagal interruption markedly altered the respiratory pattern and improved her functional status from New York Heart Association Class III to Class I, confirming that vagal afferents were the cause of the dyspnea.

Cardiovocal syndrome in infancy.

Chronic hoarseness is a rare presenting or accompanying sign of congestive heart failure in infancy. Two infants had a paralyzed left vocal cord, secondary to traction on their left recurrent laryngeal nerve. Both had significant underlying congenital heart disease (type 2 aortopulmonary window, ventricular septal defect, patent ductus arteriosus; large ventricular septal defect). After surgical repair of their congenital heart defect, both infants had normal vocal cord function. Direct laryngoscopy is necessary to diagnose the cause of persistent hoarseness in infancy. If a paralyzed left vocal cord is found, a comprehensive cardiovascular diagnostic work-up is warranted.

Results of composite graft replacement for aortic root aneurysms.

From 1972 to 1980, 41 patients (aged 19 to 79) with aortic root problems have been managed surgically with a composite graft. Forty patients (97.5%) are long-term survivors who to date have had no complications related to the aortic root. This series of patients included 10 with acute dissection of the aortic root and ascending aorta. Thirty-one patients undergoing elective operations for aortic root aneurysms included three with chronic ascending aortic dissection with aortic regurgitation, three with previous operations on the aortic root, and six patients who had associated coronary artery bypass or mitral valve replacement. Follow-up to 8 years shows that patients with composite graft replacement have exhibited no early or late complications of this procedure. Two late deaths at 1 1/2 and 5 1/2 years were unrelated to the aortic root procedure. Experience seems to indicate that composite graft management of aortic root aneurysms is a most reliable and durable operation for the majority of patients with this disease.

Cardiac operation and end-stage renal disease.

From 1972-1979, 22 patients with end-stage renal disease underwent 23 cardiac operations involving the pump oxygenator. Fourteen patients had coronary artery bypasss, 2 had aortic valve replacement, 2 had mitral valve replacement (MVR), 2 had MVR with coronary artery bypass, and 2 had ascending aortic root replacement with a composite graft. One patient underwent successful reoperation for a false aneurysm of the left ventricle after MVR. There were 2 postoperative deaths, for a mortality of 9.1%. The patients undergoing coronary artery bypass had an average of 2.7 grafts and an average Functional Class improvement from New York Heart Association Class III or IV to Class I to II. Eighteen patients required preoperative and postoperative dialysis to control blood volume, potassium, and uremia. Four patients had functioning renal transplants, and 4 patients underwent subsequent successful renal transplantation. We conclude that: (1) patients who have transplants and require dialysis can be successfully managed for cardiac operation in spite of their complex associated medical problems; (2) functional and symptomatic improvement simplifies continued management of the patient needing dialysis; and (3) improvement of a cardiac disability can allow favorable renal transplantation in selected patients.

Combined left ventricular aneurysmectomy, mitral valve replacement and aortocoronary bypass grafting: results of surgery.

Eighteen patients with ischemic heart disease who underwent left ventricular aneurysmectomy (LVA) and concomitant mitral valve replacement (MVR) for severe mitral regurgitation during 1973-1978 were identified. Eleven patients (61%) underwent aortocoronary bypass procedures (CABG) at the same operation. All patients had New York Heart Association class III or IV symptoms of congestive heart failure; six (33%) had disabling angina pectoris and four (22%) had had life-threatening ventricular tachycardia. Surgical mortality was 11%. The survival rate at 2 and 3 years was 80% and 57%, respectivey, with a mean follow-up of 21 months (range 4-56 months). At follow-up all patients had improved symptomatically by at least one functional clas; four patients were class II and six were class 1. The mean values (+/ SEM) for preoperative cardiac index, left ventricular end-diastolic pressure and ejection fraciton were 2.0 +/- 0.1 l/min/m2, 22 +/- 2.3 mm Hg, and 30 +/- 3.5%, respectively. Postoperative right-heart catheterization in seven patients revealed no difference between preoperative and postoperative resting cardiac index and pulmonary wedge pressure, although all seven patients claimed significant improvement. Thus, although resting hemodynamics may not be altered, combined LVA, MVR and CABG can be performed with acceptable surgical risk in these seriously ill patients and can provide excellent symptomatic improvement with good long-term survival.

Coronary-artery surgery in patients with end-stage renal disease.

Between 1975 and 1979 we performed coronary arteriography on 15 patients with end-stage renal failure and clinical evidence of severe ischemic heart disease. One patient died after the procedure of severe pump failure. Ten patients subsequently received coronary-artery bypass grafts, and two of these patients also received mitral-valve replacement. One patient, a diabetic, died of sepsis after surgery. Eight of the nine surviving patients, including the two patients who had undergone mitral-valve replacement, are markedly improved as a result of surgery. Our experience indicates that these patients can undergo angiography and coronary-artery bypass surgery at an increased but acceptable risk, provided dialysis is done before and after cardiac catheterization and surgery to control extracellular volume overload and hyperkalemia. The operation benefits patients with end-stage renal failure and severe ischemic heart disease by relieving angina and improving their level of activity. It is unclear whether survival is improved for these patients.