Percutaneous occlusion of post-myocardial infarction ventricular septum rupture.

AIMS: The aim of this systematic review is to gain insight into the published experience on percutaneous closure of a post-infarction ventricular septal rupture (VSR). METHOD: Relevant literature was obtained by MeSH-term searches in the online search-engine PubMed. Articles published in the last 10 years were included. Further filtering was done by using search limits and individual article selection based on the aims of this systematic review. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous closure is a potential technique in a select group of patients. The presence of cardiogenic shock and closure in the acute phase after VSR diagnosis are important risk factors of mortality. Device implantation is in general successful with few procedure-related complications. Reduction of the shunt fraction has been reported frequently. This technique is a less invasive alternative to surgical treatment and should be applied on a case-by-case basis.

Percutaneous closure of a secundum atrial septum defect performed under hypnosis: a case report.

Atrial septal defects (ASDs) are the third most common type of congenital heart diseases with ostium secundum defects (ASDsII) being responsible for approximately 75% of these defects. The treatment consists of either a transcatheter closure or a surgical intervention. The transcatheter approach offers a less invasive alternative for patients who fulfill anatomical and size criteria and is therefore increasingly used as the preferred primary intervention. As general anaesthesia is sometimes contra-indicated for some patients needing ASD or PFO closure and intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) is not always readily available, alternative "supportive" techniques as hypnosis could be of interest. In our case, a relative contra-indication for general anaesthesia was pronounced due to the severely impaired pulmonary function caused by severe deformative torsional scoliosis. Over the years several reviews have been published on hypnotic analgesia used together with usual care suggesting that hypnotic analgesia is a promising non-pharmacologic adjunct treatment for ameliorating pain and surgical distress. Also, various cardiological procedures under hypnosis have already been described in literature, but this is the first time that percutaneous ASD closure under virtual reality (VR) hypnosis is mentioned in literature.

Infective endocarditis in patients after percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation with the stent-mounted bovine jugular vein valve: Clinical experience and evaluation of the modified Duke criteria.

AIMS: Percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation (PPVI) has proven good hemodynamic results. As infective endocarditis (IE) remains a potential complication with limited available clinical data, we reviewed our patient records to improve future strategies of IE prevention, diagnosis and treatment. METHODS: Medical records of all patients diagnosed with Melody® valve IE according to the modified Duke criteria were retrospectively analyzed in three Belgian tertiary centers. RESULTS: 23 IE episodes in 22 out of 240 patients were identified (incidence 2.4% / patient year) with a clear male predominance (86%). Median age at IE was 17.9 years (range 8.2-45.9 years) and median time from PPVI to IE was 2.4 years (range 0.7-8 years). Streptococcal species caused 10 infections (43%), followed by Staphylococcus aureus (n = 5, 22%). In 13/23 IE episodes a possible entry-point was identified (57%). IE was classified as definite in 15 (65%) and as possible in 8 (35%) cases due to limitations of imaging. Echocardiography visualized vegetations in only 10 patients. PET-CT showed positive FDG signals in 5/7 patients (71%) and intracardiac echocardiography a vegetation in 1/1 patient (100%). Eleven cases (48%) had a hemodynamically relevant pulmonary stenosis at IE presentation. Nine early and 6 late percutaneous or surgical re-interventions were performed. No IE related deaths occurred. CONCLUSIONS: IE after Melody® valve PPVI is associated with a relevant need of re-interventions. Communication to patients and physicians about risk factors is essential in prevention. The modified Duke criteria underperformed in diagnosing definite IE, but inclusion of new imaging modalities might improve diagnostic performance.

Percutaneous transcatheter closure of an aorto-cardiac fistula in a six-year-old Warmblood mare with atrial fibrillation.

This report describes a rare case of an aorto-cardiac fistula in a six-year-old French Warmblood mare presented with atrial fibrillation, decreased performance, ventral oedema, bounding arterial pulsation and pathological jugular venous pulse. A 2.7-cm-diameter fistula connected the right aortic sinus of Valsalva to the right atrium. Atrial fibrillation was likely due to volume overload of the right heart due to left-to-right shunting. The horse was treated by percutaneous transcatheter closure of the fistula delivered under general anaesthesia using a transarterial approach. The operation was initially successful, and clinical signs of congestive heart failure improved immediately. However, the device dislodged six days after procedure, and the general condition of the horse deteriorated quickly. A second closure attempt to deliver the occluder using a transvenous approach in the standing horse failed, and the horse was eventually euthanized. Procedural aspects and several possible risk factors for device dislodgement are discussed.

The influence of low afterload on the nature of the stress-velocity relationship.

OBJECTIVES: Correct assessment of contractility by conventional methods during manipulation of afterload is often disappointing. To this purpose, the stress-velocity relationship offers assessment of contractility at different levels of afterload. We decided to study the influence of afterload on the nature of the stress-velocity relation. BACKGROUND: Although linear at baseline conditions in a population older than two years, data in newborns or after administration of low-dose dobutamine suggest a different nature of this relationship at low afterload. METHODS: Ten healthy piglets (five to six weeks; 11 to 13 kg) were studied. End-systolic meridional wall stress (ESWS) and rate-corrected velocity of circumferential fiber shortening (VcFc) were measured in these piglets at baseline, after balloon occlusion of the descending aorta, and at nitroprusside infusion rates of 1, 2 and 5 microg/kg/min. To eliminate inotropic influences mediated by reflex tachycardia, we subsequently studied five piglets and six adult pigs after bilateral cervical vagotomy. RESULTS: The ESWS changed from a baseline mean of 50 g/cm2 to 137 g/cm2 after balloon occlusion and to 19 g/cm2 at 5 microg/kg/min of nitroprusside. The VcFc changed from 1.19 c/s (circumference/second) to values of 0.9 c/s and 1.73 c/s, respectively. The ensuing stress-velocity regression line proved to be curvilinear instead of linear. The steeper slope at low afterload could suggest enhanced contractility compared to expected values had the relationship been linear. CONCLUSIONS: Data from young piglets and adult pigs suggest a curvilinear relationship of the stress-velocity relationship. This could probably explain some of the "hypercontractile states" encountered in conditions with low afterload.

Reduced decrease of peripheral vascular resistance during exercise in young type I diabetic patients.

OBJECTIVE: In normal subjects, peripheral vascular resistance decreases during dynamic exercise. We studied blood pressure and peripheral vascular resistance responses to dynamic exercise in young normotensive type I diabetic patients. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Thirty adolescent diabetic patients (9-19 years of age) underwent a maximal exercise test on a cycle ergometer. In a subset of 14 patients, cardiac output was measured by a CO2 rebreathing method and peripheral vascular resistance was calculated. Twenty-four normal individuals, age and sex matched, served as control subjects. RESULTS: Diastolic blood pressure was significantly higher in diabetic patients at intermediate workload (77 +/- 2 vs. 71 +/- 1 mmHg) and peak exercise (86 +/- 2 vs. 73 +/- 2 mmHg). Peripheral vascular resistance was significantly higher in diabetic patients at intermediate workload (17.0 +/- 1.1 vs. 12.6 +/- 0.5 mmHg.l-1.min-1.m-2) and peak exercise (16.3 +/- 1.3 vs. 11.4 +/- 0.5 mmHg.l-1.min-1.m-2). There were no significant correlations with the patient's age, diabetes duration, or diabetes control. CONCLUSIONS: We observed the decrease of vasodilator response during dynamic exercise in normotensive young type I diabetic patients.

Influence of xanthines on gastroesophageal reflux in infants at risk for sudden infant death syndrome.

Theophylline and caffeine are two drugs frequently administered to infants at risk for sudden infant death syndrome, because of their stimulatory effects on the respiratory system. These drugs are known to increase gastric acid secretion and to decrease lower esophageal sphincter pressure that, in turn, possibly increases gastroesophageal reflux (GER). Thirty babies were tested for GER before and during caffeine treatment. Eighteen were studied under the same conditions while undergoing theophylline treatment. All results of pH monitoring before treatment were within normal ranges. Episodes of GER increased significantly (P less than .001) in about 50% of the group treated with caffeine and in 66% of the group treated with theophylline. These results were independent of plasma xanthine concentrations (within or below therapeutic ranges) and of the efficacy of the drug. In addition, an increase was noted for the number of episodes of GER in 24 hours (from 5.3 to 17.1 in the caffeine group and from 5.3 to 24.3 in the theophylline group) and for the time pH was less than 4 (from 0.87% to 6% in the caffeine group and up to 13% in the theophylline group). Because GER is another known risk factor for sudden infant death syndrome, the administration of xanthine derivatives in babies at risk for sudden infant death syndrome should be carefully considered in each case.

Lack of increase in stroke volume during exercise in asymptomatic adolescents in sinus rhythm after intraatrial repair for simple transposition of the great arteries.

We studied stroke volume during exercise in 12 male asymptomatic patients in sinus rhythm after intraatrial repair for d-transposition of the great arteries. Data indicate that during exercise, stroke volume did not increase in the patient group, while in control subjects stroke volume increased.

Low-dose dobutamine stress echocardiography in children and young adults.

Dobutamine stress echocardiography has become widely accepted in the evaluation of adult patients with coronary heart disease. We wanted to assess the feasibility and the physiologic responses of stress echocardiography at low doses of dobutamine in a population of normal children and adults. Once achieved, we submitted a group of post-anthracycline patients to the test to assess the sensitivity of low-dose dobutamine stress echocardiography in the detection of cardiac dysfunction. Thirty-two healthy children and young adults (19 male and 13 female subjects, median age 15 years [range 6 to 26]) were studied. After the initial study of normal subjects, we submitted a cohort of 39 patients (18 female and 21 male, aged 6 to 25 years), who completed anthracycline chemotherapy, to the same protocol. Dobutamine was infused at rates of 0.5 to 2.5 and 5 microg/kg/min and echocardiographic measurements were obtained at rest and at the end of each stage. The test could be completed in 100% of the subjects without major complications. Statistically significant differences between resting echocardiographic values of systolic and diastolic function and values at 2.5 and 5 microg/kg/min of dobutamine were found. Moreover, dobutamine revealed or enhanced differences between normal subjects and the post-anthracycline patients. Thus, low-dose dobutamine stress echocardiography is feasible and safe in older children. The test is very sensitive for the detection of subclinical cardiac dysfunction in post-anthracycline patients and could possibly assess functional myocardial reserve.

Simultaneous delivery of two patent arterial duct coils via one venous sheath.

A female child, 10 months of age, weighing 7.2 kg, was catheterised for closure of a patent arterial duct. Aortography was performed in the lateral projection and the minimum diameter of the arterial duct was assessed by comparing it to the size of the catheter. The duct size was estimated between 3 and 3.5 mm at the narrowest point, therefore, it was decided to deliver two 5 mm patent arterial duct coils to avoid placement of an 8 mm coil in this small child. Similar operations were subsequently performed in two further children. Simultaneous delivery of two coils via a single long venous sheath is easy, fast, and safe. This simple and inexpensive procedure can reduce irradiation and anaesthesia time.

Fixed region of nondistensibility after coarctation repair: in vitro validation of its influence on Doppler peak velocities.

After coarctectomy, local loss of distensibility is noted in addition to mild anatomic narrowing. We hypothesize that the increased Doppler peak velocities measured at the aortic isthmus in these patients partly reflect obstruction secondary to the stiff surgical scar. The hypothesis was studied in a pulsatile hydraulic model. Thirty-one patients (13.0 +/- 4.0 years of age), 10.5 +/- 4.7 years after coarctectomy by end-to-end anastomosis, were studied clinically and echocardiographically. Indexes of distensibility were calculated. The effect of isolated increased stiffness was studied in vitro with a stiff and a compliant 1:1 scale latex model of the aorta mounted in a pulsatile full-scale circulation loop. Local stiffening was obtained by a rigid ring mounted around the aorta, fitted to the dimension of the unloaded aorta. For different pressure and flow regimens, pressures and Doppler velocities were measured across the ring. Mean peak velocities at the surgical scar were 2.2 +/- 0.4 m/s. Mild anatomic stenosis was present. All distensibility indexes indicated locally increased stiffness (P <.001). In the stiff latex model, Doppler peak velocities increased from 1.89 +/- 0.04 m/s to 2.32 +/- 0.06 m/s (P <.03); in the compliant model, from 1.15 +/- 0.03 m/s to 1.79 +/- 0.05 m/s (P <.001). The increase of Doppler peak velocities depends on model compliance only and is independent of flow rate, length of the noncompliant segment, and viscosity of the perfusion fluid. Velocities do not change when semicircular stiffening is applied. We have demonstrated in vitro that isolated local nondistensibility leads to vessel narrowing during vascular distension. The relative contribution of local scar stiffness in the increase of Doppler peak velocities after coarctectomy was hereby assessed.

Left ventricular perfusion deficit in patients with cystic fibrosis.

Left ventricular failure is not considered an important feature in cystic fibrosis (CF), but abnormalities of left ventricular function have been reported. Except for a few cases of heart failure in neonates with CF, there is no evidence of a primary disorder of the myocardium in patients with CF. Since left ventricular perfusion disturbances can cause left ventricular dysfunction, we decided to investigate left ventricular perfusion during exercise using sestamibi-Tc-99m-labeled macroaggregates. Eighteen CF patients with varying degrees of disease severity participated in the study. They underwent a thorough clinical evaluation, lung perfusion scan, pulmonary function testing, echocardiography, transcutaneous measurement of oxygen saturation at rest and during exercise, and an exercise test with injection of sestamibi-Tc-99m-labeled macroaggregates at peak exercise. Six patients (33%) showed abnormalities of the myocardial distribution of sestamibi-Tc-99m-labeled macroaggregates during exercise. Scanning abnormalities correlated with the clinical score, mean maximum expiratory flow at 50% of vital capacity (MEF50), and arterial oxygen desaturation during exercise. We conclude that deficits in left ventricular uptake of sestamibi-Tc-99m-labeled macroaggregates during exercise seem common in patients with severe CF lung disease. The cause of these deficits is not fully understood, but the occurrence seems to be associated with a poor prognosis.

Ectopic atrial tachycardia in a young athlete.

We report the case of a young boy on routine sports medical examination, who presented an incessant atrial tachycardia. At the slightest exercise the ventricular rhythm accelerated to 160 beats.min-1. Exercise capacity was excellent, and a treatment with propafenone suppressed the tachyarrhythmia.

Phosphorylcholine coating of extracorporeal circuits provides natural protection against blood activation by the material surface.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the use of a new coating, mimicking the outer cell membrane, in paediatric cardiac surgery. METHODS: Two groups of ten patients with a body weight below 8 kg, undergoing elective cardiac operations for different congenital anomalies, were prospectively enrolled in this study. In one group the whole extracorporeal circuit, including the cannulas, was coated with phosphorylcholine (PC). In the second group the same circuit was used without coating. Platelet activation (thromboxane B2 (TXB2), beta-thromboglobulin (betaTG)), activation of the coagulation system (F1+2), leukocyte activation (CD11b/CD18) and terminal complement activation (TCC) were analyzed pre-cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), at 15, 60 min of CPB, at the end of CPB, 20 min post CPB and at postoperative day 1 and 6. RESULTS: No statistical differences were found for F1+2 and CD11b/CD18. After onset of CPB mean levels of TCC remained stable in the PC group whereas an increase was observed in the control group. During CPB betaTG values in both groups increased to a maximum at the end of CPB. Within groups the increase in betaTG levels during CPB was statistically significant (P<0.05) from baseline in the control group starting from 60 min of CPB whereas no statistical difference was observed in the PC group. After the start of CPB TXB2 mean levels increased to 405+/-249 pg/ml in the PC group vs. 535+/-224 pg/ml in the control group. After this initial increase there was a small decline in the PC group with further increase. This was in contrast to the control group were TXB2 levels further increased up to a mean of 718+/-333 pg/ml at the end of CPB (P=0.016). CONCLUSIONS: Phosphorylcholine coating had a favourable effect on blood platelets, which is most obvious after studying the changes during cardiopulmonary bypass. A steady increase of TXB2 and betaTG was observed in the control group, whereas plateau formation was observed in the phosphorylcholine group. Clinically, this effect may contribute to reduced blood loss and less thromboembolic complications. Complement activation is lower in the coated group.

A case of term mors in utero in a chromosome 11p linked long QT syndrome family.

Isolated congenital long QT syndrome is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by recurrent syncopes, ventricular arrhythmias, or sudden death often accompanied by a prolonged QTc interval on ECG. On the occasion of a pregnancy complicated by an intra-uterine death of a full term baby with prolonged bradycardia a long QT syndrome was diagnosed in the mother. Familial examination revealed a prolonged QTc in her mother, brother and sister, all with positive history of syncopes. DNA linkage analysis was subsequently performed in this family with DNA markers on the short arm of chromosome 11. Four of the children in the family, younger than 5 years, were found to be asymptomatic carriers. Three of them showed a clear QTc prolongation on a 12 lead ECG. Another showed QTc prolongation during Holter monitoring but had a normal basic ECG. Measurement of QTc interval in families affected by the long QT syndrome is helpful but does not always permit an accurate diagnosis. Familial screening with DNA linkage analysis especially in families where a member is affected by the syndrome, can reveal "masked" cases which can further be investigated with Holter or effort ECG. The identification of locus heterogeneity of the long QT syndrome complicates genetic diagnosis. Only prospective studies in more families with long QT syndrome can show the additional diagnostic and prognostic value of DNA linkage.

Right ventricular hypoplasia: outcome after conservative perinatal management.

Isolated right ventricular hypoplasia is a rare congenital cardiac anomaly. A case described in which prenatal diagnosis was made by echocardiography. Conservative perinatal management produced a favourable short-term outcome without compromising the definitive surgical intervention later. The decisions were based on principles used in the treatment of pulmonary atresia with intact interventricular septum.

Entrapment of a guide wire during percutaneous occlusion of a coronary artery fistula.

Coronary artery fistulas are extremely rare and coil occlusion by intervention techniques seems to be the therapy of choice. We describe the case of a 3-month-old infant with a coronary artery fistula. During occlusion of the fistula a coronary guide wire got entrapped in a small coronary branch, but could be successfully retrieved with a microsnare without damage to the heart. The microsnare technique prevented rupture of the guide wire.

In vivo evaluation of a phosphorylcholine coated cardiopulmonary bypass circuit.

A complete phosphorylcholine coated cardiopulmonary bypass circuit, including the Dideco D901 oxygenator, was tested for gas transfer, blood path resistance, and biocompatibility in a standardized setting. Blood compatibility was tested by measuring complement and platelet activation. Three dogs (mean body weight 28 +/- 3 kg) were placed on cardiopulmonary bypass at a flow rate of 600 mL/min during 6 hours. The animals were weaned from cardiopulmonary bypass and sacrificed electively after 7 days. Oxygen and carbon dioxide transfer were 26.6 +/- 2.4 mL/min and 33.0 +/- 1.9 mL/min, respectively. Mean pressure drop across the oxygenator was 52.6 +/- 0.2 mmHg. The respective baseline values for thromboxane B2, prostaglandin E2 and platelet factor 4 were 1817 +/- 283 pg/mL, 12783 +/- 2109 pg/mL, and 0.35 +/- 0.08 IU/mL. Thromboxane B2 and prostaglandin E2 increased slightly to 2881 +/- 868 pg/mL and 18083 +/- 3144 pg/mL at 30 minutes of bypass, whereas platelet factor 4 values remained stable curing the procedure. Concentrations of complement split products C5a were only mildly increased. After use scanning electron microscopy was performed on the inner housing, heat exchanger, and outer surface of the hollow fibers. No thrombi nor organized cellular deposits were found on any of the components. Phosphorylcholine coating of CPB seems to be very promising regarding platelet activation and complement activation.

Three-dimensional rotational angiography of a patient with pulmonary atresia intact septum and coronary fistulas.

Three-dimensional rotational angiography (3D-RA) was used to image the coronary arteries of a 2(1/2)-year-old boy with pulmonary atresia intact septum and coronary fistulas. As seen in the accompanying video clips and stills, this imaging method is advantageous in depicting the coronary anatomy. Furthermore, less contrast is used for patients undergoing diagnostic coronary angiography with 3D-RA compared with biplane angiography.