[Magnetic resonance imaging in long-term assessment after surgery for aortic coarctation]. / Valoración a largo plazo con resonancia magnética en pacientes corregidos de coartación de aorta.

OBJECTIVES: Spin echo or gradient echo magnetic resonance imaging provides enough information to plan patient management and can be completed with the use of three-dimensional magnetic resonance angiography to evaluate the need for reintervention, assess follow-up, or discharge the patient. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From 1990-2003, we evaluated 101 patients after initial corrective surgery for aortic coarctation at the age of 3.1 +/- 3 years, with subsequent postoperative assessment at 1 year and again 12.4 +/- 4.2 years later. No mortality was registered during the follow-up. Corrective surgery was performed in 32 patients (31.6 %) before the first month of life. All the patients were evaluated with spin-echo and echo gradient and 34 were evaluated with magnetic resonance angiography. The patients were classified into two groups: group A consisted of 68 patients (11 < 1 month old) with no complications. End-to-end anastomosis was performed in 55, the Alvarez technique in five, the Waldhausen technique in six, and conduit in two. Group B consisted of 33 patients complicated with early aortic recoarctation (21 corrected before the age of 1 month). End-to-end anastomosis was performed in 29, the Alvarez technique in two, and grafting in two. During the follow-up, 43 reinterventions were performed. Isthmus diameter/descending aorta diameter at the diaphragmatic level and repaired site diameter/descending aorta diameter at the diaphragmatic level were measured. RESULTS: Group A: the isthmus diameter/descending aorta diameter at the diaphragmatic level index was 0.92 +/- 0.08 and the repaired site diameter/ descending aorta diameter at diaphragmatic level index was 0.90 +/- 0.05. Twenty-three patients were assessed by means of three-dimensional magnetic resonance angiography, which revealed two late stenosis (one in a 10-year-old patient with an end-to-end anastomosis performed previously, and another in an 18-year-old patient with a proximal and distal obstructed conduit). Group B: the isthmus diameter/descending aorta diameter index was 0.84 +/- 0.1 and the repaired site diameter/ descending aorta diameter index was 0.82 +/- 0.11. Eleven patients were assessed by means of three-dimensional magnetic resonance angiography, which revealed five stenosis indexes (0.53-0.73) surgically corrected before the age of 2 months, four with an initial technique based on end-to-end anastomosis and one with a graft. CONCLUSIONS: Our results support the influence of young age, the use of end-to-end anastomosis and grafts in recoarctation and their late influence on recurrent recoarctation. The patients in group A were discharged in childhood or adulthood after periodic follow-up every 5 years with magnetic resonance angiography for 18 years with results within the normal range, while patients in group B required longer follow-up.

Valoración a largo plazo con resonancia magnética en pacientes corregidos de coartación de aorta / Magnetic resonance imaging in long-term assessment after surgery for aortic coarctation

Objetivos La resonancia con spin-eco o ecogradiente da una información suficiente que puede completarse con la angiorresonancia tridimensional para decidir una reintervención, controlar un seguimiento o dar el alta. Pacientes y métodos Durante el período 1990-2003 evaluamos 101 pacientes intervenidos inicialmente a los 3,1 ± 3 años, con estudio posterior al año y a los 12,4 ± 4,2 años de su intervención. No presentaron mortalidad en el seguimiento. Un total de 32 (31,6 %) fueron corregidos antes del mes de vida. Todos se estudiaron con spin-eco y ecogradiente y 34 con angiorresonancia. Los pacientes se dividieron en dos grupos: grupo A, con 68 pacientes, sin complicaciones (11 menores de un mes) con cirugía término-terminal 55, Álvarez 5, Waldhausen 6 y conducto en 2 casos; grupo B, con 33 pacientes complicados con recoartación precoz (21 corregidos antes de un mes), cirugía término-terminal 29, Álvarez 2 y parche en 2 casos. Durante el tiempo de seguimiento se realizaron 43 reintervenciones. Se midieron índices diámetro istmo/diámetro aorta descendente a la altura del diafragma e índice diámetro zona intervenida/diámetro aorta descendente en el diafragma. Resultados En el grupo A, el índice istmo/aorta descendente a la altura del diafragma era 0,92 ± 0,08 y el índice zona intervenida/aorta descendente en el diafragma, 0,9 ± 0,05. Un total de 23 fueron revisados con angiografía tridimensional. Se vieron dos estenosis tardías en un paciente de 10 años operado de término-terminal y en otro paciente de 18 años, un conducto con obstrucción distal y proximal. En el grupo B: el índice istmo/aorta descendente era 0,84 ± 0,1 y el índice zona intervenida/aorta descendente, 0,82 ± 0,11. De estos pacientes, 11 fueron revisados con angiorresonancia, 5 con reestenosis índice (0,53-0,73) intervenidos antes de los 2 meses, 4 con técnica inicial término-terminal y otro con parche. Conclusiones Nuestros resultados apoyan la influencia de la edad precoz, la técnica término-terminal y el parche en la recoartación y su influencia tardía en la rerrecoartaciones. Los pacientes del grupo A pueden ser dados de alta en edad juvenil-adulta, tras seguimientos periódicos cada cinco años con resonancia magnética durante 18 años si los resultados están dentro de la normalidad, mientras que los del grupo B necesitan controles más prolongados

Objectives Spin echo or gradient echo magnetic resonance imaging provides enough information to plan patient management and can be completed with the use of three-dimensional magnetic resonance angiography to evaluate the need for reintervention, assess follow-up, or discharge the patient. Patients and methods From 1990-2003, we evaluated 101 patients after initial corrective surgery for aortic coarctation at the age of 3.1 ± 3 years, with subsequent postoperative assessment at 1 year and again 12.4 ± 4.2 years later. No mortality was registered during the follow-up. Corrective surgery was performed in 32 patients (31.6 %) before the first month of life. All the patients were evaluated with spin-echo and echo gradient and 34 were evaluated with magnetic resonance angiography. The patients were classified into two groups: group A consisted of 68 patients (11 < 1 month old) with no complications. End-to-end anastomosis was performed in 55, the Alvarez technique in five, the Waldhausen technique in six, and conduit in two. Group B consisted of 33 patients complicated with early aortic recoarctation (21 corrected before the age of 1 month). End-to-end anastomosis was performed in 29, the Alvarez technique in two, and grafting in two. During the follow-up, 43 reinterventions were performed. Isthmus diameter/descending aorta diameter at the diaphragmatic level and repaired site diameter/descending aorta diameter at the diaphragmatic level were measured. Results Group A: the isthmus diameter/descending aorta diameter at the diaphragmatic level index was 0.92 ± 0.08 and the repaired site diameter/ descending aorta diameter at diaphragmatic level index was 0.90 ± 0.05. Twenty-three patients were assessed by means of three-dimensional magnetic resonance angiography, which revealed two late stenosis (one in a 10-year-old patient with an end-to-end anastomosis performed previously, and another in an 18-year-old patient with a proximal and distal obstructed conduit). Group B: the isthmus diameter/descending aorta diameter index was 0.84 ± 0.1 and the repaired site diameter/ descending aorta diameter index was 0.82 ± 0.11. Eleven patients were assessed by means of three-dimensional magnetic resonance angiography, which revealed five stenosis indexes (0.53-0.73) surgically corrected before the age of 2 months, four with an initial technique based on end-to-end anastomosis and one with a graft. Conclusions Our results support the influence of young age, the use of end-to-end anastomosis and grafts in recoarctation and their late influence on recurrent recoarctation. The patients in group A were discharged in childhood or adulthood after periodic follow-up every 5 years with magnetic resonance angiography for 18 years with results within the normal range, while patients in group B required longer follow-up

[Magnetic resonance of congenital cardiopathies]. / Resonancia magnética en las cardiopatías congénitas.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the usefulness of magnetic resonance in the diagnosis and follow-up in congenital heart disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 1992 and 1994, we have evaluated 250 patients (between 1 day-22 years of age) with congenital heart disease. We used a Philips-Gyroscan 0.5 Tesla set-up and the studies were made with ECG-gated multislice sequences with the time of repetition adapted to the cardiac frequency. The slice thicknesses were 3-10 mm and the field of view was 100-400 mm. Three axes were used: axial, oblique coronal and 30-60 degrees oblique sagittal. Three groups were made: A) Patients in whom MR imaging was the elected technique for establishment of the diagnosis; B) Patients were MR imaging was an alternative technique; and C) Patients were MR imaging was complementary to other techniques. All patients underwent a Doppler echocardiographic study or an angiocardiogram. RESULTS: Group A) One hundred and fifty-one patients were included with the following conditions: Eighty-two with coarctation of the aorta or aortic arch interruption, 12 with vascular ring, 5 with truncus arteriosus in order to evaluate the pulmonary branches, 28 cases operated for Fallot or transposition of the great vessels for the evaluation of the pulmonary branches, 16 with single ventricle for the evaluation of the bulboventricular foramen, 5 with complex congenital heart disease and 3 with pericardial agenesia-herniation. Group B) Sixty-five patients were included in this group with the following diagnoses: Ten with aorto-pulmonary colateral arteries, 13 with anomalous pulmonary drainage of the systemic veins, 38 with tronco-conal anomalies and 4 with supravalvular aortic stenosis. Group C) Thirty-four patients with the following conditions were included in this group: Ten with common atrioventricular septal defects, 6 with tricuspid atresia, 6 with atrioventricular and ventriculoarterial discordance and 12 with other anomalies. CONCLUSIONS: MR imaging can replace other techniques in the diagnosis and follow-up of some congenital heart diseases and in a non-invasive way.

Bouveret's syndrome: new cause of double-arch-shadow sign in cholecystosonography.

A case of Bouveret's syndrome which later presented as a jejunal obstruction is reported. Special reference is made to the echographic findings. Bouveret's syndrome has a double-arch-shadow image in the zone of the gallbladder bed on ultrasound examination. So far, this sign has been considered specific for gallstones inside the gallbladder.

Subclavian artery to internal jugular vein fistula following percutaneous internal jugular vein catheterization.

The percutaneous internal jugular vein approach is now a commonly performed procedure for central venous catheterization. Iatrogenic arteriovenous fistulae are a very infrequent complication. We report an asymptomatic subclavian artery to internal jugular vein fistula following two percutaneous internal jugular vein catheterization attempts.