Ventricular Septal Defect Exposure by Tricuspid Valve Chordal Detachment-A Retrospective Matched Study.

Background: Transatrial approach is the standard method in repairing ventricular septal defects (VSD) in the pediatric population. However, the tricuspid valve (TV) apparatus might obscure the inferior border of the VSD risking the adequacy of repair by leaving residual VSD or heart block. Detachment of the TV chordae has been described as an alternative technique to TV leaflet detachment. The aim of this study is to investigate the safety of such a technique. Methods: Retrospective review of patients who underwent VSD repair between 2015 and 2018. Group A (n = 25) had VSD repair with TV chordae detachment were matched for age and weight to group B (n = 25) without tricuspid chordal or leaflet detachment. Electrocardiogram (ECG) and echocardiogram at discharge and at 3 years of follow-up were reviewed to identify new ECG changes, residual VSD, and TV regurgitation. Results: Median ages in groups A and B were 6.13 (IQR 4.33-7.91) and 6.33 (4.77-7.2) months. New onset right bundle branch block (RBBB) was diagnosed at discharge in 28% (n = 7) of group A versus 56% (n = 14) in group B (P = .044), while the incidence dropped to 16% (n = 4) in group A versus 40% (n = 10) in group B (P = .059) in the 3 years follow-up ECG. Echocardiogram at discharge showed moderate tricuspid regurgitation in 16% (n = 4) in group A and 12% (n = 3) in group B (P = .867). Three years of follow-up echocardiography revealed no moderate or severe tricuspid regurgitation and no significant residual VSD in either group. Conclusion: No significant difference in operative time was observed between the two techniques. TV chordal detachment technique reduces the incidence of postoperative RBBB without increasing the incidence of TV regurgitation at discharge.

Urgent Excision of Primary Intracardiac Burkitt Lymphoma in a Child.

A 9-year-old girl presented with a recent history of shortness of breath, fatigue, visual disturbances, and gastrointestinal symptoms. Echocardiography demonstrated three large intracardiac masses in the right and left atria protruding into the mitral and tricuspid valve orifices causing bilateral inflow obstruction. She underwent urgent surgical excision of the masses. Histology revealed rare intracardiac Burkitt's Lymphoma.

Outcomes Post-Nick's Aortic Root Enlargement Technique: Single-Center Experience.

BACKGROUND: Different techniques for aortic root enlargement (ARE) have been reported in the literature. Each technique comes with its own advantages and disadvantages. We report our outcomes of Nick's technique for ARE. METHODS: A single-center retrospective data analysis of 31 patients was performed. Patients were operated between May 2015 and November 2017 at Assuit University Heart Hospital, Assuit, Egypt. RESULTS: The median cardiopulmonary bypass time was 125 minutes (range: 90.0-160.0 minutes), with 90 minutes of cross-clamp (range: 60.0-110.0 minutes). Altogether 59% of the patients had mixed aortic valve diseases. Median intensive care unit and total hospital stay were 2 and 5 days, respectively. Patient-prosthesis mismatch was reported in one patient only (3.25%). Two patients died within 30 days. Median pressure gradient across the aortic valve was 20 mm Hg at 3 years of follow-up. CONCLUSION: The benefits of Nick's technique for ARE can be demonstrated in populations with younger patients and complicated pathology. Further research is required in larger patient populations.

Contemporary outcomes of aortic arch hypoplasia and coarctation repair in a tertiary paediatric cardiac surgery centre.

OBJECTIVES: There are several studies reporting the outcomes of hypoplastic aortic arch and aortic coarctation repair with combination of techniques. However, only few studies reported of aortic arch and coarctation repair using a homograft patch through sternotomy and circulatory arrest with retrograde cerebral perfusion. We report our experience and outcomes of this cohort of neonates and infants. METHODS: We performed retrospective data collection for all neonates and infants who underwent aortic arch reconstruction between 2015 and 2020 at our institute. Data are presented as median and inter-quartile range (IQR). RESULTS: The cohort included 76 patients: 49 were males (64.5%). Median age at operation was 16 days (IQR 9-43.25 days). Median weight was 3.5 kg (IQR 3.10-4 kg). There was no 30 days mortality. Three patients died in hospital after 30 days (3.95%), neurological adverse events occurred in only one patient (1.32%) and recurrent laryngeal nerve injury was noted in four patients (5.26%). Only three patients required the support of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) with a median ECMO run of 4 days. Median follow-up was 35 months (IQR 18.9-46.4 months); 5 years survival was 93.42% (n = 71). The rate of re-intervention on the aortic arch was 9.21% (n = 7). CONCLUSION: Our experience shows excellent outcomes in repairing aortic arch hypoplasia with homograft patch under moderate to deep hypothermia with low in-hospital and 5 years mortality rates.

Aortic valve surgery: management and outcomes in the paediatric population.

Congenital anomalies of the aortic valve frequently necessitate intervention in childhood. The most common aortic valve pathologies present in childhood are aortic stenosis and insufficiency. Presentation of aortic valve disease depends on severity and presence of concomitant syndromes and valvular disorders. Treatment options are largely categorised as medical, percutaneous repair or surgical repair and replacement. Surgical techniques have been refined over the last few years making this the mainstay of treatment in paediatric cases. Whilst repair is considered in most instances before replacement, there are substantial limitations which are reflected in the frequency of reintervention and restenosis rate. Replacements are typically undertaken with tissue or mechanical prosthesis. The current gold-standard aortic valve replacement surgery is called the Ross procedure-where replacement is undertaken with a competent pulmonic valve and a simultaneous pulmonary homograft.Conclusion: In this review, we aim to outline the various surgical options and discuss efficacy and complications of various interventions. What is Known: • Congenital aortic valve defects repair options medically and surgically What is New: • Comparisons between surgical options for aortic valve repair including efficacy, risks and long-term outcomes.

The Relationship Between Vitamin D Status and Cardiovascular Diseases.

With cardiovascular conditions being a leading cause of mortality and morbidity globally, several studies have identified that there is an important correlation between the level of Vitamin D and cardiovascular diseases, including an increased risk of hypertension, heart failure, and coronary artery diseases. Current published studies are in the form of both in vivo and in vitro studies and they primarily showed the evidence of how Vitamin D can downregulate Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone system activity and therefore providing a cardioprotective role. Nevertheless, most of these studies are observational, and there yet to be large-scale randomized controlled trials which would increase the evidence of the findings.This review aims to capture the current evidence of Vitamin D as a metabolite which is critical in reducing cardiovascular conditions and the possible physiological pathways that it works via.

Tetralogy of Fallot: stent palliation or neonatal repair?

Surgical repair of Tetralogy of Fallot has excellent outcomes, with over 90% of patients alive at 30 years. The ideal time for surgical repair is between 3 and 11 months of age. However, the symptomatic neonate with Tetralogy of Fallot may require earlier intervention: either a palliative intervention (right ventricular outflow tract stent, ductal stent, balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty, or Blalock-Taussig shunt) followed by a surgical repair later on, or a complete surgical repair in the neonatal period. Indications for palliation include prematurity, complex anatomy, small pulmonary artery size, and comorbidities. Given that outcomes after right ventricular outflow tract stent palliation are particularly promising - there is low mortality and morbidity, and consistently increased oxygen saturations and increased pulmonary artery z-scores - it is now considered the first-line palliative option. Disadvantages of right ventricular outflow tract stenting include increased cardiopulmonary bypass time at later repair and the stent preventing pulmonary valve preservation. However, neonatal surgical repair is associated with increased short-term complications and hospital length of stay compared to staged repair. Both staged repair and primary repair appear to have similar long-term mortality and morbidity, but more evidence is needed assessing long-term outcomes for right ventricular outflow tract stent palliation patients.

Ventricular septal defect: diagnosis and treatments in the neonates: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Medical advancements have encouraged minimally invasive surgical repair of congenital heart defects such as ventricular septal defects (VSDs), and the diagnostic process can now be carried out using non-traditional techniques such as pulse oximetry. This, in turn, has improved clinical outcomes with reduced complication rates post-surgery. However, the variations in type of VSDs, age of patient, comorbidities, and access to closure devices may limit the efficacy of surgical advancements. METHODS: Articles were identified amongst Scopus, MEDLINE, and PubMed using various relevant search strings using PRISMA guidelines. Of the 115 articles initially extracted, 10 were eventually reviewed after duplicates and irrelevant studies were removed. RESULTS: Of the 24 eligible articles, 10 papers were selected for analysis. Minimally invasive approaches to VSD repair was associated with satisfactory short-term outcomes when compared to open repair. For diagnosis of congenital VSD, whilst recent advances such as pulse oximetry method and genome analysis are more sensitive, the limited availability and access to such investigatory methods must be recognised. CONCLUSION: Pulse oximetry and fetal echocardiography are established non-invasive diagnostic tools for VSD. The recent advances in minimally invasive treatment options including periventricular approach and transcatheter techniques have improved patient outcomes, yet at the expense of higher residual rates. Careful patient selection for each technique and follow-up should be planned through multidisciplinary team meetings.

Anticoagulation and antiplatelet therapy in patients with prosthetic heart valves.

BACKGROUND: The choice of antithrombotic therapy, anticoagulants or antiplatelets, after prosthetic heart valve replacement or repair, remains a disputed topic in the literature. Antithrombotic therapies are used after heart valve intervention to reduce the rates of thromboembolic events, therefore improving patient outcomes. Different interventions may require different therapeutic regimens to achieve the most efficacious clinical outcome for patients. METHODS AND DISCUSSION: This review aims to summarize and critique the available literature concerning therapeutic agents used for bioprosthetic and mechanical valves as well as for valve repair, so as to assist clinicians and researchers in making decisions with regard to their patients and research endeavors.

Robotic coronary artery surgery: Outcomes and pitfalls.

OBJECTIVE: Coronary artery bypass grafting is one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures in cardiovascular surgery with a steadily evolving minimally invasive approach. METHODS: Conventional coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is performed traditionally via midline sternotomy. Exciting advancements in technology and engineering over the last two decades have resulted in the transition from conventional to minimally invasive CABG including robotically assisted surgery. RESULTS: The minimally invasive techniques are continuously striving to promote coronary revascularization into the arena of minimally invasive surgery. Examination of 10 previously completed studies with relevant follow-up periods enables an insightful vision into the outcomes and pitfalls surrounding robot-assisted CABG (RACAB) as explored in this review. Studies indicate that RACAB is associated with decreased postoperative complications such as major adverse cardiac or cerebrovascular events without compromise in survival rates. Despite this, certain drawbacks such as incurring costs and technical complexity of the procedure cannot be dismissed. CONCLUSION: There exist patient-related benefits from minimally invasive techniques such as decreased certain postoperative complications. Furthermore, with experience and a specialized stepwise program, it is possible to perform the entire procedure from the console. However, certain pitfalls involving increased expenses, steep learning curve and the lack of proper haptic feedback currently withhold the worldwide expansion of RACAB and limit it to specialized institutions only.