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Mitral regurgitation (MR) is the second most common heart valve disease worldwide. Currently, the management of MR is based on medical therapy (including biventricular pacing), surgery (mitral valve replacement or repair) and percutaneous therapy. However, in spite of guideline recommendations, 50% of individuals assessed in the Euro Heart Survey were not referred to surgical intervention due to comorbidities or real or perceived high risks for cardiac surgery; thus, in recent years, the focus of research has shifted to the development of percutaneous approaches to treat severe MR in order to restore valve function in a minimally invasive fashion. Among these techniques, the percutaneous mitral valve repair procedure using the MitraClip® system (Abbott Vascular, IL, USA) is one of the most promising. Usually, patient selection for MitraClip implantation is based on careful echocardiographic assessment of valve disease; however, although definitive data are lacking, evidence is mounting for a multiparametric approach including the evaluation of the functional status of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A discontinuous pulmonary artery is one that is disconnected from the main pulmonary trunk and arises from a patent ductus arteriosus. This anomaly is not often found in conjunction with tetralogy of Fallot (ToF) and pulmonary stenosis. We treated an infant who had such an anomaly with impending closure of a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). Herein, we describe the treatment of this challenging case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Right heart catheterization (RHC) usually is performed via the femoral vein or the internal jugular vein. However, the antecubital fossa vein is a valid venous access, and it has become increasingly popular to perform right heart catheterization utilizing this access., Methods: A retrospective, observational study was conducted to describe use of the antecubital fossa vein for right heart catheterization in adults and children with congenital heart disease (CHD). Patients who had undergone RHC via antecubital fossa vein at the authors' hospital between September 2019 and December 2022 were included. The outcomes studied were procedural failure and procedure-related adverse events., Results: Fifty-two patients with CHD underwent right cardiac catheterization via an upper arm vein. The upper arm vein was unable to perform the RHC in only 2 patients (3.8%). Only 1 patient developed a minor adverse event. No irreversible and/or life-threating adverse events were detected., Conclusions: The upper arm veins are safe and effective to perform a RHC in children and adults with CHD. This approach demonstrates a high percentage of technical success, and few mild complications.

We report a case of bronchial Dieulafoy's disease in the pediatric age. Angio-computed tomography scan and arteriography addressed us to diagnosis. Bronchial endoscopy with biopsy was avoided due to the high risk of developing a life-threatening hemorrhage. Transcatheter embolization of the bleeding bronchial artery was achieved with a MicroPlex ® 10 HyperSoft 3D 3.5 mm × 80 mm System (MicroVention, Tustin, CA, USA). Dieulafoy's disease is an extremely rare lesion in the pediatric age, and the small diameter of the bleeding vessels may complicate the percutaneous approach with procedural failure. Currently, the novel thin and soft detachable coils allowed to widen the transcatheter embolization in the pediatric age., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2020 Annals of Thoracic Medicine.)

Background: Transcatheter closure is now accepted as the first-choice therapeutic option in patients with patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). However, this procedure is still challenging in large PDA and/or younger patients. This study evaluated feasibility and results of this approach in large, symptomatic PDA using different devices., Methods: Between April 2000 and July 2004, 57 patients underwent attempt of transcatheter closure of a large PDA at our Institution. Nineteen patients (33.3 %) were on pharmacologic therapy for congestive heart failure. PDA diameter was 3.2+/-1.2 mm (range 1.8-9 mm), resulting in a pulmonary to systemic flow ratio of 2.1+/-1.8 (range 1.4-5)., Results: The procedure was successfully performed in 54 patients (94.7%), using the Amplatzer duct occluder (ADO) device (34 patients) or a multiple detachable coil approach (20 patients). Complete PDA occlusion was recorded in 77.8% of patients at 24 hours, 92.6% at 1 month, and 94.4% at last follow-up control (23+/-12 months). PDA morphology and pulmonary to systemic flow ratio did not influence the success rate of the procedure or the residual shunt. A trend toward a higher occlusion rate at any follow-up point was recorded in the ADO group (79.5 vs 75.0% at 24 hours, 97.1 vs 85.0% at 1 month, and 97.1 vs 90% at last follow-up control, p = NS for all comparisons)., Conclusions: Percutaneous closure might be considered effective and safe also in large, clinically significant PDA, by tailoring the device choice to the patient size and ductal morphology. In this setting, the multiple coil option revealed as effective as the ADO device over a mid-term follow-up.

Pulmonary artery stenosis is a frequent complication seen after surgical repair of tetralogy of Fallot. In this setting, endovascular stent implantation is now accepted as the first-choice therapeutic option. However, angiographic imaging still being held as mandatory to check the stent position before final deployment, this procedure is not considered suitable for patients who cannot be submitted to angiography. In this paper, we report a novel method for the correct implantation of an endovascular stent without angiographic imaging. A 9-year-old boy underwent cardiac catheterization to relieve a severe left pulmonary artery stenosis. A previous attempt had been aborted due to a life-threatening anaphylactic reaction to the contrast medium. To avoid angiography, a contrast medium-filled compliant atrial septal defect sizing balloon (Amplatzer Sizing Balloon, AGA Medical Corporation) was used to image the vessel stenosis and successfully guide stent deployment. After the procedure, the transstenotic pressure gradient disappeared and the left-to-right pulmonary perfusion imbalance almost completely reverted.

Background: Although surgical shunt is still considered as the best palliation of congenital heart disease with reduced pulmonary blood flow, stent implantation may be technically simpler, safer and more cost-effective than surgery in high-risk patients. This study evaluated the feasibility and results of this option in patients with duct-dependent pulmonary blood flow or systemic-to-pulmonary shunt malfunction., Methods: Between April 2003 and July 2004, 9 patients (age 11 days-52 years, weight 2.1-52 kg) with complex congenital heart disease underwent stent implantation inside the patent ductus arteriosus (4 patients) or a stenotic surgical shunt (5 patients)., Results: The stenting procedure was successfully completed in all cases. The procedural time was 162 +/- 36 min (range 90-225 min). The fluoroscopy time was 33.8 +/- 6.8 min. No patient died. The morbidity rate was 22.2% (1 patient had local infection at the site of puncture and 1 had transient femoral artery pulse loss). After the procedure, the ductus/shunt diameter increased from 1.2 +/- 0.6 to 3.6 +/- 0.6 mm (p < 0.0001) and oxygen saturation improved from 74.0 +/- 6.5 to 85.2 +/- 3.3% (p < 0.01). Three patients underwent corrective surgery without technical problems after 8.0 +/- 1.0 months while oxygen saturation remained constantly >80% in patients still waiting for surgical repair (follow-up 5.3 +/- 3.1 months)., Conclusions: Stent implantation is a technically feasible, safe and effective palliative option in high-risk surgical patients with congenital heart disease and reduced pulmonary blood flow. Although larger series are required to define the cost-effective clinical impact of this therapeutic option, it is reasonable to hypothesize a further extension of its indication even to elective and low-risk surgical patients.

A 3-month-old infant with tetralogy of Fallot presented with progressive severe cyanosis and intractable acidosis about 2 months after a successful modified right-sided Blalock-Taussig shunt. At cardiac catheterization, the suspected shunt malfunction was confirmed. It was due to a bulky, pear-like mass arising from the right subclavian artery and compressing the polytetrafluoroethylene conduit. Any attempt to recanalize the shunt by percutaneous techniques proved unsuccessful. At surgery, a huge dilation of the anterior wall of the right subclavian artery, that sharply bent the prosthetic conduit, was found. Pathologic examination revealed that the compressing mass was pseudo-aneurysmal in nature. Despite a second successful shunt operation with a dramatic clinical improvement, the patient died due to multiorgan failure 72 hours following surgery. Extrinsic compression by a false aneurysm is a rare cause of shunt occlusion that should always be suspected in patients presenting with a rapidly progressive shunt malfunction late after a successful shunt procedure.