Histopathological evaluation of aortic coarctation after conventional balloon angioplasty in neonates.

BACKGROUND: Optimal management strategy for native aortic coarctation in neonates and young infants is still a matter of debate. The surgical procedure, histopathologic research, and clinical outcome in 15 neonates who underwent surgery after successful balloon angioplasty is the basis of this study. METHOD: Between 01 October, 2014 and 01 August, 2017, we enrolled 15 patients with native aortic coarctation for this study. These patients had complications regarding recoarctation, following balloon angioplasty intervention at our institute and other centres. Surgically extracted parts were examined histopathologically and patient's data were collected retrospectively.ResultThe reasons for recurrence of recoarctation after balloon angioplasty are as follows: patients with higher preoperative echocardiographic gradients had recoarctation earlier, neointimal proliferation, aortic intimal fibrosis at the region of ductal insertion, and ductal residual tissue debris after balloon angioplasty. No repeat intervention was required in the 15 patients who underwent surgery followed by balloon angioplasty. Early mortality was seen in one patient after surgery. Postoperative complication in the surgical group occurred in the form of chylothorax in one patient. CONCLUSION: In centres in which the neonatal ICU is inexperienced, balloon angioplasty is particularly recommended. In developing neonatal clinics, balloon angioplasty, when performed on patients at their earliest possible age, delays actual corrective operation to a later date, which in turn provides less risky surgical outcomes in infants who are gaining weight, growing, and do not have any haemodynamic complaints.

Short-Term Outcomes of Patent Ductus Arteriosus Closure With New Occlutech® Duct Occluder: A Multicenter Study.

AIM: Over the past 2 decades, transcatheter occlusion of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) with coils and the duct occluders evolved to be the procedure of choice. A new device, the Occlutech PDA® occluder (ODO) device has been designed. Herein, we aimed to evaluate the characteristics and short-term results of patients who underwent transcatheter closure of PDA using the ODO. METHODS: We reviewed the clinical records of 60 patients from different centers in Turkey between December 2013 and January 2016. The medical records were reviewed for demographic characteristics and echocardiographic findings. Device size was selected on the narrowest diameter of PDA. RESULTS: The median patient age was 2.5 years (6 months-35 years), and median PDA diameter was 2.5 mm (1.2-11 mm). Fifty-eight of 60 patients (96.6%) had successful ODO implantation. The occlusion rates were 37/58 (63.7%) at the end of the procedure, 51/58 (87.9%) at 24-48 hours post-procedure, and 57/58 (98.2%) on echocardiography at a median follow-up of 7.6 months. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that transcatheter closure of PDA using the ODO is effective. Larger studies and longer follow-up are required to assess whether its shape and longer length make it superior to other duct occluders in large, tubular, or window-type ducts. (J Interven Cardiol 2016;29:325-331).

Electroanatomic mapping-guided radiofrequency ablation of adenosine sensitive incessant focal atrial tachycardia originating from the non-coronary aortic cusp in a child.

Incessant focal atrial tachycardia may be encountered in the pediatric age group although it is rarely seen. Ablation using radiofrequency or cryothermal energy is the preferred method for drug-resistant cases. Recently, 3D electroanatomic mapping systems have been increasingly used for mapping and ablation. In this report, we presented, for the first time, a pediatric case with incessant focal atrial tachycardia originating from the non-coronary aortic sinus and ablated using 3D electroanatomic mapping system.

The effects of acute and regular exercise on calcium, phosphorus and trace elements in young amateur boxers.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to assess the acute and chronic effects of vigorous physical activity, with and without zinc supplementation, on distribution of elements in young amateur boxers. METHODS: The 8 week intervention trial experiment was designed with 32 healthy adolescent males in three parts: part 1, a 1 hour boxing training program; part 2, 4 weeks of regular boxing training without any supplementation; part 3, 4 weeks of regular boxing training with supplementation of pills containing 50 mg oral zinc. Plasma calcium, phosphorus, zinc, iron, copper, and magnesium levels of all participants were measured before and after each part of the study. RESULTS: After acute exercise serum calcium, zinc, copper levels decreased (p < 0.001; 0.001 and 0.017, respectively) and phosphorus increased (p < 0.001); iron and magnesium levels did not differ (p > 0.05). However, after 4 weeks of regular boxing training there was a decrease in zinc (93.92 +/- 9.03 microg/dL vs. 85.86 +/- 10.32 microg/dL, p < 0.001) and an increase in calcium concentrations (9.62 +/- 0.34 microg/dL vs. 9.90 +/- 0.26 microg/dL, p < 0.001). Zinc supplementation increased plasma calcium, phosphorus, and iron and decreased copper and magnesium (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The body element distribution of children in pubertal age changes with physical activities. Zinc supplementation can negatively affect their magnesium and copper concentrations.

Schistocytic hemolytic anemia owing to central venous catheter in a child with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

SUMMARY: A 4-year-old boy with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) was inserted a central venous catheter into right vena jugularis interna, whereas on BFM-ALL (Protocol 1) therapy. He developed progressive anemia, thrombocytopenia, schistocytes with triangular or crescent shapes, microspherocytes and teardrop cells in the peripheric blood smear, elevated lactate dehydrogenase, and decreased haptoglobin. Schistocytic hemolytic anemia was considered. On chest radiogram, the central venous catheter (CVC) tip was seen beneath the expected location. An echocardiography revealed that CVC was within the right atrium, in contact with tricuspite leaflets. So, CVC was overhauled and a new one was inserted. After the revision, hemolysis ceased; haptoglobin level normalized.

Successful two-stage correction of ventricular septal defect and patent ductus arteriosus in a patient with fixed pulmonary hypertension.

We report a case of a 6-year-old boy with fixed severe pulmonary artery hypertension secondary to a ventricular septal defect (VSD) together with a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). As a preliminary step, PDA embolization was performed following therapy with inhaled prostacyclin over a period of 6 months. Further, the patient underwent successful surgical VSD closure. We postulate that a staged procedure with long-term prostaglandin therapy might be capable of reducing pulmonary artery resistance and permitting total correction in a patient once considered to have inoperable pulmonary arteriopathy.

Case report: nonarrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia presenting with severe right ventricular failure in an adolescent.

Right ventricular dysplasia is usually discovered by the presence of ventricular arrhythmia. As arrhythmia is an epiphenomenon, the first presentation of some cases can be primarily heart failure. We describe an adolescent girl who presented with progressive right heart failure and whose hallmark was fibrofatty replacement of ventricular muscle, especially of the right side, without ventricular arrhythmia. The patient was successfully treated by orthotopic heart transplantation.

MDCT angiography of isolated right subclavian artery.

Isolation of a subclavian artery is an uncommon congenital anomaly of the aortic arch in which one subclavian artery loses its connection with the aorta and originates from the homolateral pulmonary artery by way of a ductus arteriosus. Isolation of the left subclavian artery in patients with a right aortic arch is well known. However, isolated right subclavian artery with a left-sided aortic arch is an extremely rare condition. In this report, we present multidetector computed tomographic (MDCT) angiography findings of an isolated right subclavian artery associated with a common carotid trunk and an anomalous origin and proximal interruption of the left pulmonary artery.

Figulla ASD occluder versus Amplatzer Septal Occluder: a comparative study on validation of a novel device for percutaneous closure of atrial septal defects.

OBJECTIVES: Occlutech Figulla ASD Occluder (FSO) is an alternative device to Amplatzer Septal Occluder (ASO) with some structural innovations including increased flexibility, minimizing the amount of material implanted, and absence of the left atrial clamp. We aimed to report our experiences with FSO and compare the outcomes of this novel device versus ASO. INTERVENTIONS: Between December 2005 and February 2009, 75 patients diagnosed with secundum atrial septal defects underwent transcatheter closure. The FSO device was used in 33 patients, and the ASO was used in 42. RESULTS: Patient characteristics, stretch size of the defect, device left disc size, procedure, and fluoroscopy time were similar between the groups. However, the difference between device waist size and stretched diameter of the defect was significantly higher, and device delivery sheath was significantly larger in FSO group and device left disc size was significantly lower in the FSO group. In all subjects, the residual shunt was small to trivial during follow-up and the reduction in prevalence of residual shunt with time was similar in both groups (P = 0.68). We found no differences in complication rate between the two devices; however, device embolization to the pulmonary bifurcation in one patient was recorded as major complication in FSO device group. CONCLUSIONS: Both devices are clinically safe and effective in ASD closure. FSO device has similar outcomes when compared to ASO device. Difficulties in selecting the correct device size in larger defects and larger venous sheath requirement need to be evaluated in further studies.

Comparison of cardiac function and valvular damage in children with and without adenotonsillar hypertrophy.

OBJECTIVE: Comparison of cardiac function in children with and without adenotonsillar hypertrophy. METHODS: We examined 28 pediatric patients with adenotonsillar hypertrophy mean aged 7.3+/-2.9 years comprised of 14 females and 14 males (group I). The control group were chosen from 35 healthy sex and age matched children mean aged 7.37+/-2.7 years (group II). Both groups were examined by an otorhinolaryngologist and adenotonsillar hypertrophy was diagnosed with nasal endoscopic method or lateral neck X-ray. All the patients in group I underwent adenotonsillectomy. Cardiologic and echocardiographic examinations were performed in both groups. Echocardiographic examination was done twice in group I (preoperative and postoperative first month) however in group II only once. Preoperative findings of group I compared with the findings of group II. Preoperative and postoperative echocardiographic findings were also compared within group I. The chi-square test and the independent paired-sample t-test were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: The tricuspid end-diastolic time was the only significant difference in echocardiographic findings between the two groups (104.8+/-28.8 ms versus for 86.4+/-17.32 ms p<0.05). There was no statistical difference between preoperative and postoperative echocardiographic findings in group I. Brady-tachyarrhythmia was detected on electrocardiography - performed with 24h ambulatory electrocardiography - in one patient. To our surprise, in group I five patients had cardiac valve damage: mitral and/or aortic valve insufficiency. These findings were interpreted as silent carditis. CONCLUSION: There was no significant difference in right ventricular function between the children with and without adenotonsillar hypertrophy. Whereas, there was shortening of tricuspid end-diastolic time in group I. However, five patients having adenotonsillar hypertrophy developed a cardiac dysfunction which was not observed in the control group. Therefore, we assumed a correlation between adenotonsillar hypertrophy and possible silent carditis following frequent tonsillitis.

Chronic eosinophilic leukemia with monosomy 8 in a five-year-old girl: a rare case.

A 5-year-old girl was admitted to our hospital due to fatigue and fever lasting for six months. She had systolic murmur in the mesocardiac and apex regions and hepatosplenomegaly. Laboratory evaluation revealed leukocyte and eosinophil counts of 176 and 144.32 x 10(9)/L, 3.4% blasts in bone marrow and monosomy 8. She developed pulmonary, cardiac, nervous system, ocular and bone involvement. Upon diagnosis of "chronic eosinophilic leukemia, not otherwise specified" (WHO 2008 classification), she received methylprednisolone, vincristine, cytarabine and 6-thioguanine. After hematopoietic stem cell transplantation from a full-matched sibling was performed, the patient expired due to graft failure and septicemia.

Left ventricular diverticulum with contractile function in an unusual site.

The diverticulum of the left ventricular cavity is a rare congenital malformation. Various imaging modalities such as echocardiography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and left ventriculography might be used for anatomic and functional properties of this abnormality. This report presents the case of a 48-year-old man with a contractile left ventricular diverticulum in the left ventricular outflow tract area and the evaluation with real-time multiplane and 3-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography.