M-mode echocardiographic evaluation of systolic function, LV volume and mass in children on growth hormone therapy.

Since abnormal endogenous growth hormone (GH) secretion in adults is associated with cardiac dysfunction, it is important to ensure that GH therapy in children and adolescents does not cause similar effects. Forty-two growth hormone-deficient children (Group 1) (19 girls, 23 boys) were evaluated. Six girls and seven boys were prepubertal with a mean age of 6.

Valvuloplasty with large trefoil balloons for the treatment of congenital pulmonary stenosis.

Percutaneous balloon valvuloplasty was performed in 16 children, 1 1/2 to 14 years old, with congenital pulmonary stenosis with teh use or trefoil balloons. These balloons, which consist of 3 identical angioplasty balloons, do not interrupt completely the blood flow during inflation. The size of the trefoil balloons used was 30 to 50% larger than the valve anulus.