Search

The present article summarises current knowledge on the risk of fetal cardiac malformations in fetuses with increased nuchal translucency (NT), abnormal ductus venosus blood flow pattern and tricuspid regurgitation. The risk of congenital heart disease (CHD) increases with increasing NT. However, nuchal translucency screening is only modestly efficient in the detection of congenital heart disease in low-risk pregnancies. If the nuchal translucency is normal, abnormal ductus venosus blood flow and tricuspid regurgitation show low sensitivities as single screening parameters. The combination of all 3 markers might increase the detection rates. Fetal echocardiography at 20 weeks of gestation is recommended in foetuses with an NT ≥95th percentile, as the incidence of CHD increases 2.5-fold. When the NT measurement is ≥99th percentile, the risk of CHD increases 10-fold. In this high-risk group and in fetuses with tricuspid regurgitation and/or an abnormal DV flow pattern along with an increased NT, first or early second trimester echocardiography performed by experts is warranted. The early examination of the fetal heart should be completed by a detailed echocardiogram at around 20 weeks of gestation., (© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

Background and Objective: The atrial switch operation in patients with transposition of the great arteries have been replaced by the arterial switch operation in the neonatal period. However, an increasing number of atrial switch survivors has now reached adulthood. This study was aimed at evaluating the incidence and patterns of typical late complications in order to describe diagnostic and therapeutic options., Patients and Methods: We retrospectively analysed the data of 40 adolescent and adult patients, who had an atrial switch operation a mean of 17,9 years ago (23 Senning, 17 Mustard operations). The mean age of the patients is 19,3 years with 40 % females. The follow up time in our institution was 4,7 years., Results: The most frequent complications were cardiac rhythm disturbances (47,5 % loss of sinus rhythm, 22,5 % intermittent atrial flutter, 22,5 % junctional rhythm, 7,5 % paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia, 17,5 % sick sinus syndrome, 5 % premature ventricular contractions), severe tricuspid regurgitation (15 %), severe right ventricular failure (5 %), baffle leaks (27,5 %), baffle obstructions (17,5 %), and pulmonary artery hypertension., Conclusion: The data demonstrate that adult patients who underwent atrial switch operation in early childhood need long term follow-up to allow early recognition and treatment of late complications, even in asymptomatic patients.

The incidence of tricuspid valve prolapse and its association with mitral valve prolapse was studied in 100 patients with right- and left-ventricular angiography. Coronary artery disease was present in 81 patients (pts), a dilative cardiomyopathy in 6 pts, and a hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in 2 pts. 11 pts were angiographically normal. A total of 27 pts had a tricuspid valve prolapse, and 15 pts had a mitral valve prolapse. In 19 pts prolapse of the tricuspid valve was isolated, and in 8 pts it was associated with a mitral valve prolapse. The associated finding of a prolapse of the tricuspid and mitral valve was statistically significant (p less than 0.02). Patients with a tricuspid valve prolapse experienced a higher right-ventricular ejection fraction (58 + 10 vs 53 +/- 10%; p less than 0.05) and smaller end-systolic right ventricular volume indices (39 +/- 16 vs 47 +/- 17 ml/m2; p less than 0.05) compared to those without tricuspid valve prolapse. There was no further difference in clinical and hemodynamic parameters between those with and those without tricuspid valve prolapse. The clinical significance of a tricuspid valve prolapse is still undefined.