Anatomic correction of transposition of the great vessels.

We present a new approach for anatomic correction of transposition of the great arteries. The two coronary arteries, with a piece of the aortic wall attached, are transposed to the posterior artery. The two aortic openings are closed with a patch. The aorta and pulmonary artery are transected, contraposed, ant then anastomosed. The interventricular septal defect is closed with a patch, through a right ventriculotomy approach, because the right ventricle is no longer part of the systemic circulation. Two patients, aged 3 months and 40 days weighing 4,200 and 3,700 grams, respectively, were operated upon with deep hypothermia and total circulatory arrest. There was good recovery from the operation, with normal cardiocirculatory conditions. Renal failure developed in the first patient, and she died on the third postoperative day. During this time the cardiocirculatory conditions were good. The second patient made an uneventful recovery. Hemodynamic studies 20 days after the operation showed complete correction of the malformation. Five and one-half months after the operation, he weighs 7,500 grams, and his development is very good. We believe that this operation will be reproducible by most cardiovascular septal defect and pulmonary hypertension.

[Technical modification of total cavo-pulmonary connection]. / Modificação técnica da conexão cavo-pulmonar total.

A variation of total cavopulmonary connection without anastomosing the superior vena cava to the right pulmonary artery branch is presented. Both vena cava flow go through an intra atrial tunnel to the right atrial appendage, which is anastomosed to the right pulmonary artery, in anatomical eligible cases.

[Prevalence of congestive heart failure after ventriculomectomy in patients with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy]. / Prevalência de insuficiência cardíaca congestiva após ventriculomiectomia em portadores da cardiomiopatia hipertrófica obstrutiva.

PURPOSE: To assess the prevalence of congestive heart failure in the late post-operative follow-up in patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) submitted to ventriculomectomy (VM). METHODS: Thirty six patients with HOCM, all of them with basal intraventricular systolic pressure gradient (BPG) > or = 50 mmHg, were studied. Sixteen (group I) were submitted to VM and 20 (group II) remained under clinical treatment. At group I the ages were 1 month to 61 years (28.25 +/- 15.39), 10 male (62.5%); BPG ranged from 50 to 192 mmHg (98.09 +/- 42.76) with mean follow-up of 13.06 +/- 7.19 years. At group II the age ranged from 2 months to 58 years (31.01 +/- 18.61); 12 male (60%); BPG ranged from 52 to 185 mmHg (83.47 +/- 35.08) with mean follow-up of 9.6 +/- 4.93 years. RESULTS: At group I the follow-up was good in 4 patients (25%), stable in 2 (12.5%) and poor in 3 (18%). Seven patients (43.75%) developed congestive heart failure at mean time of 7.53 +/- 8.44 years; there was one operative death and the follow-up control was lost in 7 patients. In group II, the follow-up was good in 3 patients (15%), stable in a 6 (30%) and poor in a 9 (45%); no deaths occurred. Two patients had heart failure within 3 years after the onset of the disease. The follow-up control was lost in 8 patients (40%). CONCLUSION: 1) congestive heart failure was more frequent in patients submitted to VM rather than the non-operated ones (p < 0.05); 2) the short-term follow-up was better in operated patients rather than in non-operated ones.

[Subaortic stenosis associated with atrioventricular septal defect. A rarely mentioned condition]. / Estenose subaórtica associada a defeito do septo atrioventricular. Uma condição pouco referida.

White male patient, 14 years old, who developed a severe subaortic stenosis in the late postoperative period of a total correction of atrioventricular septal defect. Clinical diagnosis was confirmed by echocardiography and cardiac catheterization. The patient underwent reoperation for treatment of the new condition, with resection of subaortic stenosis. Atrioventricular septal defects show a narrow and deformed left ventricle outflow tract, susceptible to obstruction before or after operation. It is, therefore, advisable to investigate a possible obstruction before the operation at the operation room and in the late postoperative period.

[Pulmonary hypertension: a serious complication in the postoperative period of tetralogy of Fallot]. / Hipertensão arterial pulmonar: séria complicação no pós-operatório de tetralogia de Fallot.

Among 1,142 patients who underwent total correction of tetralogy of Fallot from May of 1960 to december of 1986, five (0.43%) presented refractory cardiac failure. Pre and postoperative control was based on symptoms and clinical signals, electrocardiogram, conventional radiographies, cardiac catheterism, cineangiocardiography, and necropsy in one case. The evolution in immediate and late postoperative periods were not good. One patient deceased in the first day after surgery: the others had complications as severe pulmonary insufficiency, diffuse and severe hypocontractibility of the right ventricle, with three late decreases. Only one patient is alive, with congestive cardiac failure hardly controllable.

[Radiologic signal of dehiscence of Starr-Edwards aortic prosthesis]. / Sinal radiológico de deiscência de prótese aórtica de Starr-Edwards.

A male 54 years-old patient with infective endocarditis through Staphylococcus aureus with prosthesis of Starr-Edwards aortic with clinical and echocardiographic signs compatible with dysfunction classified as severe. The x-ray images presented double silhouette of the prosthesis, thus suggesting its partial dehiscence. This case report points out that the detailed analysis of the X-ray may supply relevant data for the diagnosis of one of this complication thus influencing on management and prognosis.

[Embolomycotic pseudoaneurysm of the common femoral artery in infective endocarditis]. / Pseudoaneurisma embolomicótico da artéria femoral comum na endocardite infecciosa.

A male patient, six years old, with mitral valve endocarditis presented with pseudoaneurysm of the right femoral artery. He was submitted to surgical treatment with reconstruction of the artery with good outcome.

[Infective endocarditis in children and adolescents]. / Endocardite infecciosa na infância e adolescência.

PURPOSE: To assess infective endocarditis (IE) predisposing factors, etiologic agents and hospital course in infants and adolescents. METHODS: We Studied 222 patients admitted under compatible IE diagnosis, from 1985 to 1990. The population of this study is fifty patients (23%) under 16 years of age. RESULTS: Rheumatic valvular disease, as predisposing cardiopathy was proeminent within 9 to 16 years of age, markedly Statistical difference when compared to age range of 0 to 8 years (p < 0.05). Among congenital cardiopathies, the most frequent were: interventricular septal defect (26.0%) and tetralogy of Fallot (21.7%). Blood cultures, surgical material or emboli cultures were positive in 35 (70.0%) assessed patients. Streptococcus viridans (45.7%) and Staphylococcus aureus (42.8%) were the etiologic agents most often isolated. It was found that endocarditis by Staphylococcus aureus had mortality rate of 53.3% [(clinical (66.6%) and surgical (44.4%)], (p < 0.05) when compared to those by Streptococcus viridans; with total mortality of 6.2% (no clinical death and 16.6% in the surgical group). Total in-hospital mortality (clinical and surgical) was 26.0% (13 deaths). CONCLUSION: IE in infants and adolescents in this studied population presented Streptococcus viridans responsible for 46.7% of patients with endocarditis and the Staphylococcus aureus for 42.8% were the etiologic agents most often found. Total, clinical and surgical mortality was greater in patients with endocarditis by Staphylococcus aureus when compared with those by Streptococcus viridans. Among the congenital cardiopathies, whether operated on or not, ventricular septal defect and of Fallot's tetralogy were the most involved ones; rheumatic cardiopathy Still remains a significant predisposing factor to infective IE in our country.

[Surgical management of the aortic valve in patients older than 70 years of age]. / Manuseio cirúrgico da valva aórtica em pacientes acima de 70 anos.

PURPOSE: To assess the short and long-term benefits of patients who were submitted to isolated aortic valve replacement or valve replacement (VR) concomitant myocardial revascularization (MR); to evaluate the incidence of postoperative complications, hospital mortality and late mortality. METHODS: From January 1985, through December 1989, 20 consecutive patients underwent surgical intervention, 15 male (75%) and 5 female (25%), the mean age was 74.8% (ranging from 70 to 86 years old), and the aortic valve gradient ranged between 78 and 180 mmHg (mean = 97 mmHg). They presented preoperative diagnosis to have either isolated aortic stenosis (AS) or As and coronary artery disease (CAD). No patient was in NYHA functional class I; 3 patients (15%) were in class II, 14 (70%) in class III and 3 (15%) in class IV. RESULTS: The most frequent post-operative complications found were: extended intubation in 7 patients (35%), bleeding in 4 (20%), acute renal failure in 3 (15%) and ventricular arrhythmia in 3 (15%). Hospital mortality occurred in 2 patients (10%) who had been submitted to VR and concomitant MR. Late mortality occurred in 1 patient (5%). Through December 1989, 11 patients (64%) were in functional class I (NYHA), 3 (18%) in class II, 3 (18%) in class III and none in class IV. CONCLUSION: We concluded that the surgical treatment is indicate to elderly patients with isolated AS os with AS and concomitant CAD. There was a significant post-operative improvement of the functional class (NYHA) to the surviving patients.

[Use of coronary angioplasty in acute myocardial infarction without previous use of thrombolytic agents. Analysis of 201 patients]. / Emprego da angioplastia coronária no infarto agudo do miocárdio sem uso prévio de agentes trombolíticos. Análise de 201 pacientes.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the experience with the use of primary PTCA in the set of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) without the previous administration of thrombolytic agents. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Two hundred and one patients with AMI, aged 35 to 86 years (mean = 57.2). There were 83.5% men. Twenty patients were older than 70 years and 48.2% had an anterior AMI. PTCA was performed early in the AMI, with a delay no longer than 12 hours. In 95%, it was done solely to the infarct related artery. Seventy percent patients were in Killip class I, 21% in class II, and 8% in classes III and IV (more than 50% of this subset of patients were in cardiogenic shock). RESULTS: Primary success was achieved in 84.5%. In hospital mortality was 5.9%, and there were 7% reinfarctions. Among the 84 patients who underwent a late cinecoronariography study, there were 19% restenosis and 8.3% reocclusions. In the long term follow up 75% were asymptomatic. Repeat PTCA was required in 10.2% of the cases, late coronary surgery was performed on 10.8% of the patients, and post-hospital cardiac mortality was 8.8% during an average follow up of 28 months (range 2-72 months). CONCLUSION: Primary PTCA is a effective way of reperfusion in the AMI, with a high primary success, low complications rate and without any major contraindications.

Right ventricular bifocal stimulation in the treatment of dilated cardiomyopathy with heart failure.

OBJECTIVE: To describe a new more efficient method of endocardial cardiac stimulation, which produces a narrower QRS without using the coronary sinus or cardiac veins. METHODS: We studied 5 patients with severe dilated cardiomyopathy, chronic atrial fibrillation and AV block, who underwent definitive endocardial pacemaker implantation, with 2 leads, in the RV, one in the apex and the other in the interventricular septum (sub pulmonary), connected, respectively, to ventricular and atrial bicameral pacemaker outputs. Using Doppler echocardiography, we compared, in the same patient, conventional (VVI), high septal ("AAI") and bifocal ("DDT" with AV interval approximately 0) stimulation. RESULTS: The RV bifocal stimulation had the best results with an increase in ejection fraction and cardiac output and reduction in QRS duration, mitral regurgitation and in the left atrium area (p