Ischemic prevention for stent implantation via brachial artery in children.

An 11-year-old boy received stent implantation for peripheral pulmonary stenosis through the left modified Blalock-Taussig shunt from the left brachial approach because of the hairpin-shaped route from a femoral or carotid approach. A temporary bypass between the left radial and the femoral arteries was established to prevent ischemic complication of the left forearm. There was no ischemic change of the left forearm in the physiological monitoring despite the long procedure (more than 4 hr) and brachial arterial spasms. No complications occurred after the procedure. The temporary bypass will support fewer complications in various catheter interventions through a brachial arterial approach in children.

Successfully completed total cavopulmonary connection with a right-sided maze procedure after a modified Starnes' operation in a neonate with Ebstein's anomaly.

The symptomatic newborn infant with Ebstein's anomaly is in critical condition and is difficult to treat successfully. Furthermore, supraventricular tachyarrhythmia in patients with Ebstein's anomaly may determine the early and late results. We report a successfully treated case of extracardiac total cavopulmonary connection with a right-sided maze procedure after a modified Starnes' operation during the neonatal period.

Quantification of right and left ventricular volumes in children with congenital heart disease by multidetector-row computed tomography.

Multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT) of the heart is a new diagnostic approach for the quantitative evaluation of the coronary artery in adults. However, in children, the quantitative analysis of each cardiac chamber has not been established. We attempt to clarify the feasibility and validation of ECG-gated MDCT as a quantitative diagnostic tool to assess the right and left ventricular volume in children. The study consisted of 16 patients who had definite right and left ventricle. After obtaining multislice images by MDCT, we measured the end diastolic volume of both the right and the left ventricle by direct calculation of the region of interest and calculation from the projected image of three-dimensional reconstruction by traditional formulas. The correlation between the two calculations for both ventricles is excellent (r=0.99 for LV and 0.94 for RV, respectively). The correlations for ventricular volume between calculation of catheterization and calculation of MDCT is also good (r=0.99 for LV 0.99 for RV, respectively). Volume measurement by ECG-gated MDCT of the right and left ventricles is well correlated with that by catheterization in children and can reduce the necessity for cardiac catheterization.

Intraoperative aortic dissection in pediatric heart surgery.

Intraoperative aortic dissection occurred in a 3-year-old-boy undergoing repair of an atrial septal defect. Transesophageal echocardiography was useful for the diagnosis, and conservative medical treatment under close observation was feasible in this case which involved a limited intimal tear.

Intravascular ultrasonic assessment of post-operative remodelling of aortic coarctation repaired by use of a subclavian flap.

BACKGROUND: We have used intravascular ultrasound in an attempt to clarify the extent of vascular remodelling of the aortic arch after the repair of aortic coarctation by use of a subclavian flap. METHODS: We investigated 13 patients with coarctation of the aorta, ranging in age from 1.4 to 43.0 months, with a mean of 20.8 months, who underwent aortoplasty by incorporation of a subclavian flap. The mean postoperative period was 19.6 months, with a range from 0.03 to 41.2 months. The luminal morphology of the aortic arch was evaluated by intravascular ultrasound at the time of post-operative catheterization. RESULTS: We observed 3 cases longitudinally. Over the period of observation, we found three types o f morphology of the aorta at the site of incorporation of the subclavian flap, namely a snowman shape with two inflection points, a pisiform shape with one inflection point, and a round shape without any points of inflection. There was a correlation between the cross-sectional shapes at the site of the subclavian flap in the postoperative period (p < 0.01). In each case, we measured the cross-sectional area at the site of subclavian flap, at the descending aorta, and at the distal aortic arch. The cross-sectional area, and the increment of the cross-sectional area at the site of subclavian flap, was larger. CONCLUSION: The shape of the lumen subsequent to repair of aortic coarctation changes progressively from a snowman, to a pisiform, and finally to a round shape. Greater growth of the subclavian flap compared to the native wall of the aorta was observed for at least the first 4 years after repair. This finding may improve our understanding of the remodelling process of the arterial trunks after surgical repair.

Modified Starnes operation for neonatal Ebstein's anomaly.

We report the case of a severely symptomatic neonate with Ebstein's anomaly. A modified Starnes operation was performed, but insufficient drainage of venous blood returning through thebesian veins caused overdistention of the right ventricle and severe left ventricular dysfunction. Urgent reestablishment of right ventricular-right atrial communication successfully resolved these problems.

Mitral annular aneurysm resulting from subaortic muscle resection.

We present a case of mitral annular aneurysm as a very rare complication developing soon after the surgical relief of subaortic stenosis. The cause of the aneurysm was considered to be the disruption of aorto-mitral intervalvular fibrosa at the initial operation. The surgical repair was successfully performed without compromising either aortic or mitral valvular functions. The preoperative transesophageal echocardiography was useful in delineating the precise anatomic features of this rare complication.

Successful transluminal angioplasty of renal arterial stenosis using the transcarotid approach.

We successfully performed percutaneous transluminal angioplasty to treat severe renovascular hypertension with left ventricular failure in a 5-month-old infant. Using the transcarotid approach, we dilated the stenotic left renal artery without any difficulties, using progressively larger balloons designed for dilation of coronary arteries.