The meandering intrapulmonary total anomalous pulmonary venous channel (MITAPVC)-old wine in new bottle or a new variant?

Background: Total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC), with an intrapulmonary segment (IPV), a meandering abnormally located confluence and obligatory drainage of one lung into the other before entering the systemic circulation, is a rare anomaly and we term it as the meandering intrapulmonary TAPVC (MITAPVC). Material and methods: We report five patients with an unusual variation of the TAPVC channel. A review of literature was done to identify this association of TAPVC with an intrapulmonary vein and absence of a confluence in its usual location. Results: In our study, 4 patients with neo-confluence creation had excellent outcome while one with partial correction required catheter-based intervention, but succumbed to persistent pulmonary hypertension refractory to therapy. A literature search showed 25 additional such patients. Two groups were noted, one with isolated lesions (N = 16) and the other with heterotaxy or complex intracardiac lesions (N = 14). Of the 20 surgical interventions, only 12 survived, most of them in the isolated group (N = 10). Mortality was due to incomplete surgery (4/4), inappropriate surgery (3/3), and complete and appropriate surgery (1/11) respectively. Conclusion: The MITAPVC is often associated with heterotaxy and complex lesions. However, the isolated version is being increasingly recognised. Non-recognition or inappropriate surgical correction of MITAPVC is associated with fatal outcomes. Evaluation by a computerised tomography (CT) scan, meticulous dissection and demonstration of the entire channel, creation of a neo-confluence and appropriate palliation for the heterotaxy is the key to ensure good outcome. This is not a new entity, but deserves a separate subclassification under TAPVC. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12055-021-01290-2.

Tracheal bronchus: a cause of unexplained prolonged hypoxemia during ventilation.

The spectrum of disorders involving the tracheobronchial tree is diverse, with some of the conditions unique to the pediatric population. Despite the "airway first" maxim, many such disorders are missed initially. Tracheal bronchus is one such condition that comes to notice by persistent right upper lobe atelectasis, pneumothorax, recurrent pneumonia, chronic bronchitis, and prolonged ventilation. This anatomic variant in a patient with cyanotic congenital heart disease is reported. For this patient, timely identification of tracheal bronchus allowed appropriate changes in airway management and was life saving.

Cardiac herniation following closure of atrial septal defect through limited posterior thoracotomy.

OBJECTIVES: We report an unusual complication following closure of atrial septal defect through right limited posterior thoracotomy. METHODS: An eight-year-old girl underwent closure of atrial septal defect through right limited posterior thoracotomy. She developed cardiac herniation in the early post-operative period following a tension pneumothorax on the left side, while recovering in the intensive care unit. RESULTS: Cardiac herniation was promptly recognized, albeit subtle hemodynamic changes, and was reduced through re-operation. CONCLUSION: Liberal use of pericardium for closure of intra-cardiac defects results in a gap in the pericardial sac. Posterior thoracotomy approach for closure of atrial septal defect has a higher propensity for cardiac herniation owing to the small size and postero-lateral location of the pericardial defect. Recognition and early treatment of cardiac herniation is important since it can mimic cardiac tamponade. Cardiac herniation can be avoided either by enlarging the pericardial defect or by closing it with a prosthetic patch.