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OBJECTIVE: Discrete supravalvular aortic stenosis (SAS) is known to involve the whole aortic root. Some surgeons have therefore changed their approach from relief of obstruction using a single-patch to symmetric reconstruction of the whole aortic root - three-patch technique. The advantages are said to be preserved long-term aortic valve function and allowance for growth. This is unproven. We compare growth and aortic root geometry in patients who have undergone relief of discrete SAS using either single-or three-patch technique. METHODS: Twenty-five patients (14 male, 11 female, mean age of 11+/-4 years, range 4-18) underwent surgery for discrete SAS. No patients with diffuse SAS were included in this retrospective analysis. Twelve patients had features of Williams syndrome. Five patients had other concomitant procedures. A single-patch was inserted into the longitudinal incision, which passed across the stenosis into the non-coronary sinus in 14. A three-patch technique was used in 11 patients. Changes in aortic root following repair were documented in patients using both echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). RESULTS: There were no operative deaths. The mean preoperative gradient was 66+/-17 mmHg (range 50-100 mmHg), which decreased to 14+/-7 mmHg (range 4-18 mmHg) early postoperatively. The late mean gradient was 15+/-5 mmHg. There was no significant difference in the incidence of postoperative aortic regurgitation or gradient across the repair between two techniques according to the echocardiograms and MRI findings. CONCLUSION: According to our study, we cannot demonstrate any benefit in reconstructing the whole aortic root for discrete SAS. A single-patch technique is easy, safe and appears durable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A rare case of aorto-left ventricular communication arising from the left aortic sinus is described. This is the first reported case, known to us, in which the diagnosis was established by two-dimensional echocardiography and angiocardiography and a successful surgical repair was accomplished. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Switch operation is the treatment of choice in infants with transposition of the great arteries. The anatomic correction restores the left ventricle to its normal systemic function. In complete transposition, however, the diverse spectrum of coronary pattern influences the surgical outcome. We describe a successful arterial switch operation without LeCompte manoeuvre in a neonate with unusual coronary artery anatomy and side-by-side great arteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study assessed the long-term efficacy of EECP (Enhanced External Counterpulsation) in Turkish (TR) patients initially and compared these results with the United States (US) in a real world setting., Study Design: In this study, 2072 patients were treated and followed in the US and 82 patients were treated and followed in TR. The International EECP Patient Registry Phase I and II was initiated and coordinated at the University of Pittsburgh. The aim of the "registry" was to assess the outcomes of clinical trials in a real world setting. Another unique feature of this study was to enroll patients not only from university hospitals but also from private hospitals, educational hospitals, and treatment centers., Results: TR patients had less diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia than US patients (p<0.01). TR patients also had a higher proportion of diastolic augmentation (p<0.001). Both groups showed a significant reduction in the severity of angina after a 35 h EECP course (p<0.001). Major Adverse Cardiac Events (MACE) rate (death, coronary artery bypass graft, percutaneous coronary intervention, myocardial infarction) was low in both groups during treatment (2.5% vs. 2.7%). At 1 year follow up, 84% of TR and 76% of US patients had maintained the improvement of angina., Conclusion: Patients presenting for EECP treatment from TR had different baseline profiles from US patients. However, despite the high risk baseline characteristics, both cohorts achieved similar reduction in angina. In the long term follow-up, the MACE rate was low and the improvement after EECP was sustained in most of the patients.

In most instances, congenital arteriovenous fistula is only one manifestation of a more widespread abnormality; 60% of patients also have hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasis (Rendu-Osler-Weber syndrome). Among those with congenital pulmonary arteriovenous fistula, the diagnosis is made during infancy in only 15% of patients. We present a case of pulmonary arteriovenous fistula in a newborn and review the literature. This rare condition of newborns can be treated with different surgical procedures. Only 17 cases of newborn pulmonary arteriovenous fistula/have been reported, and only two of those had associated Rendu-Osler-Weber syndrome. The results of surgical procedures were good in most of these cases. We treated our case with lobectomy successfully.

Pulmonary artery anatomy is the key factor that determines the type of surgical treatment required in tetralogy of Fallot. Despite the fact that routine primary repair is now done on infants, inadequate pulmonary artery size can dictate the need for staged surgical repair in even the oldest age groups. From October 1986 to October 1998, 361 patients at our clinic underwent surgery to correct tetralogy of Fallot. A total of 292 cases were treated with primary repair, 69 surgeries were palliative, and 30 of these 69 underwent corrective surgery. The Nakata index was used as a pulmonary artery index (PAI), and PAI< 200 was the criterion for requirement of two-stage repair. Of the 30 patients that underwent staged repair, the Blalock-Taussig shunt (BTS) procedure was used in 24; the remaining six patients had right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction (RVOTR). The mean age of all the palliative surgery patients was 3.4 years (range 6 months to 11 years), and of those who received corrective surgery was 5.5 years (range 2-12 years). These patients' PAI values were 181 +/- 37.5 mm2/m2 and 359 +/- 130.7 mm2/m2, respectively. The period between the two operations ranged from two months to four years. Mortality rates were 2.8 percent for palliative surgery as a whole, 4.1 percent for primary repair, and 16.6 percent for staged repair. Our policy with regard to corrective surgery for tetralogy of Fallot is to do primary repair regardless of a patient's age and weight, except in cases where the pulmonary artery anatomy is appropriate for the patient's body size.

Vascular ring, in which the trachea and esophagus are completely surrounded by vascular structures, is one of the causes of respiratory distress in children. Right aortic arch with aberrant left subclavian artery is a common aortic arch anomaly; however, respiratory distress due to vascular ring is seldom associated with this anomaly. We report herein a newborn infant treated surgically because of severe respiratory distress caused by vascular ring formed by right aortic arch with aberrant left subclavian artery and left ligamentum arteriosum. As laryngomalacia was first thought to be the reason for respiratory distress, we suggest that patients with respiratory distress diagnosed with laryngomalacia be evaluated for possible vascular ring.

The authors present an infant with left ventricular and mitral valve thrombi diagnosed by cross-sectional echocardiography. Thrombosis was due to acquired transient protein C deficiency, which was caused by impaired liver function due to sepsis. Because the thombi were very large and mobile, urgent surgery was performed. Eight weeks later, the patient's protein C level returned to normal ranges. The authors suggest that in all cases with intracardiac thrombosis, protein C deficiency should be investigated.

1. The influence of alloxan-induced diabetes was studied on spontaneously beating rat atria. Diabetic atria were found to have decreased rates, increased contractility and decreased responsiveness to both inotropic and chronotropic effects of isoprenaline. 2. Thyroid hormone levels were significantly reduced in diabetic animals. This revealed that the decrease in atrial beta-adrenergic responses was associated with a reduction in serum levels of thyroid hormones. 3. Insulin treatment of diabetic rats for 10 days corrected the changes observed in diabetic atria. Serum levels of thyroid hormones returned to normal following insulin treatment as well. 4. Administration of insulin to thyroidectomized-diabetic rats did not reverse the diabetes-induced changes suggesting that thyroid hormones are needed for insulin to normalize the alterations observed in diabetic atria.

A patient with a rare case of cardiac tumor in the right atrium secondary to Wilms' tumor of the right kidney, underwent open heart surgery and removal of the mass was presented. This is the 10th. case of intracardiac tumor secondary to renal malignancy. Careful auscultation of the heart is necessary in patients with malignancy in the kidney to detect the possible right heart metastases through the inferior vena cava. Cardiac symptoms precede the renal manifestations in most cases. Malignant renal metastases to the heart should always be in mind in space occupying masses of the right heart chambers.

Routine use of open mitral commissurotomy in all cases of rheumatic mistral stenosis is the recommended treatment of choice in recent years. Effective division of the subvalvular apparatus (chordae tendineae and papillary muscles) can be accomplished easily during open commissurotomy and therefore recurrences after the open approach is less than the recurrences after closed commissurotomy. These subvalvular elements can not be freed easily during closed mitral commissurotomy. Low mortality rates after open approach suggests that this operation can be performed safely in cases of MS. Open approach has several advantages versus closed commissurotomy. We believe that closed commissurotomy should be replaced by open commissurotomy in all cases of MS.

One hundred patients with pulmonary hydatid disease underwent thoractomy and operative removal of the cysts. Of the 60 men and 40 women, most were between 3 and 19 years old. Cough, fever, dyspnea, and chest pain were the prominent symptoms in the majority of cases. Intact hydatid cysts were found in 67 patients and infected or ruptured cysts in 33. The Casoni skin test, Weinberg reaction, and eosinophilia were found to be unreliable diagnostic criteria and therefore were not used routinely in our patients. Roentgenological examination was the most valuable diagnostic aid. A single lobe was affected in 72 patients. Unilateral multiple foci were present in 15 patients and bilateral multiple foci in 13. Cystectomy and capitonnage were the preferred operative procedures in most cases. Pulmonary resection was necessary to only a limited number of patients. We conclude that conservative surgical methods such as cystectomy (with or without capitonnage) are preferable, especially for children, whose residual lung parenchyma has great capacity for expansion. The mortality rate among our 100 patients was 2%; both died of cardiac arrest during operation.

Inhalation of foreign bodies is a major cause of accidental death during childhood. Aspiration of foreign bodies is common in children aged 1 to 3 years, especially in boys. A past history of foreign body aspiration is itself an indication for bronchoscopic examination of the airways, because some children with aspirated foreign bodies are without symptoms and chest x-ray films may not show abnormalities. Bronchoscopic removal of the foreign bodies requires close communication between the anesthesiologist and the endoscopist. Forgotten foreign bodies in the airways cause chronic pulmonary infections, allergic asthma, bronchiectatic changes, and lung abscess. Foreign bodies that cannot be grasped by bronchoscopic forceps should be removed by thoracotomy and bronchotomy. This report describes our experience in 500 children with suspected foreign body inhalation. We routinely use prednisolone, 1 to 2 mg. per kilogram, and nebulization just after bronchoscopic examination of the airways. This medication greatly diminishes the rate of postbronchoscopic complications such as laryngeal edema, which require tracheostomy. In our series of 500 case, the incidence of postbronchoscopic tracheostomy is 1.4 per cent and the total mortality rate is 1.8 per cent.