Bidirectional glenn surgery without palliative pulmonary artery banding in univentricular heart with unrestricted pulmonary flow. Retrospective multicenter experience.

Background: Although pulmonary artery banding (PAB) has been generally acknowledged as an initial palliative treatment for patients having single ventricle (SV) physiology and unrestrictive pulmonary blood flow (UPBF), it may result in unfavorable outcomes. Performing bidirectional Glenn (BDG) surgery without initial PAB in some selected cases may avoid the complications associated with PAB and reduce the number of operative procedures for these patients. This research aimed to assess the outcome of BDG surgery performed directly without doing initial PAB in patients with SV-UPBF.

Percutaneous coronary stent implantation in children and young infants following surgical repair of congenital heart disease.

Background: Coronary artery stent implantation (CSI) in the pediatric population is rare. Only a few reports were published on managing postoperative coronary artery obstruction using coronary stents following surgical repair of congenital heart diseases (CHD). This study aimed to analyze the feasibility, indications, procedural technique, risk factors, and short-term outcomes of CSI after pediatric cardiac surgery.

Percutaneous closure of postoperative residual ventricular septal defects, including dehiscence of surgical patches.

Background: Percutaneous closure of residual ventricular septal defects (VSDs) after congenital heart surgery may provide a safer and more efficient alternative to redo surgery. This study aimed to evaluate the outcome of transcatheter closure of residual postoperative VSD.

Methods: This multicenter retrospective cohort study was conducted at the tertiary care institutions of King Faisal Specialist Hospital and King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Saudi Arabia, from March 2012 to March 2022.

Novel Cause of Late Atrial Septal Defect Devices Embolization.

Transcatheter closure of septal defects using specialized devices is a common procedure that has a high success rate. Embolization of Atrial septal defect devices is a known complication seen at a rate of 0.5%.

Development of PCR-based markers for the identification and detection of Lophodermella needle cast pathogens on Pinus contorta var. latifolia and P. flexilis.

Morphological similarities and fastidious development of increasingly emerging fungal needle pathogens impede accurate disease diagnosis and early detection. This study analyzed the specificity and sensitivity of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based markers developed for emerging needle cast pathogens Lophodermella concolor and L. montivaga co-occurring on Pinus contorta var.

Outcomes of bidirectional Glenn surgery done without prior cardiac catheterization.

Background: Cardiac catheterization is usually done routinely in patients with univentricular hearts before palliative Bidirectional Glenn (BDG) surgery. The objective of this study was to compare the outcomes of patients with physiological univentricular hearts and restrictive pulmonary flow that did not undergo routine cardiac catheterization before BDG with the patients that did have cardiac catheterization done. We retrospectively reviewed the data of all patients with single ventricle physiology and restrictive pulmonary blood flow who underwent BDG surgery from January 2016 till December 2020.

Transcatheter closure of main pulmonary artery pseudoaneurysm using atrial septal occluder device in an infant.

We present a case of percutaneous closure of main pulmonary artery pseudoaneurysm using an atrial septal occluder device in a seven-month-old infant. The infant had tetralogy of Fallot repair followed by transcatheter left pulmonary artery stenting. The occlusion of the wide neck of the pseudoaneurysm was performed successfully using the atrial septal occluder with no detected complications in his six-month follow-up post-catheterisation.

Transitions of foliar mycobiota community and transcriptome in response to pathogenic conifer needle interactions.

Profiling the host-mycobiota interactions in healthy vs. diseased forest ecosystems helps understand the dynamics of understudied yet increasingly important threats to forest health that are emerging due to climate change. We analyzed the structural and functional changes of the mycobiota and the responses of Pinus contorta in the Lophodermella needle cast pathosystem through metabarcoding and metatranscriptomics.

Outcome of ductus arteriosus stenting including vertical tubular and convoluted tortuous ducts with emphasis on technical considerations.

Background: Ductal stenting is the preferred method of securing adequate pulmonary blood flow in patients with duct-dependent pulmonary circulation. The main limitation in most centers is the difficult vertical tubular or convoluted ducts that represent real challenges to interventional pediatric cardiologists. We present our experience in patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) stenting with some technical tips to overcome difficulties, especially in stenting tortuous or long tubular ducts.

Cardiac Catheterization During Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation After Congenital Cardiac Surgery: A Multi-Center Retrospective Study.

Cardiac catheterization can affect clinical outcomes in patients on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) after congenital heart surgery; however, its effect in this group of patients remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and outcome of cardiac catheterization in patients undergoing ECMO after congenital cardiac surgery and determine predictors that influence successful weaning. This retrospective cohort study included pediatric patients who underwent cardiac catheterization while on ECMO after congenital heart surgery in two cardiac centers between November 2012 and February 2020.

Molecular characterization and phylogenetic analyses of needle pathogens (Rhytismataceae) on species in the USA and Europe.

Increasing prevalence of conifer needle pathogens globally have prompted further studies on pathogen identification and a better understanding of phylogenetic relationships among needle pathogens. Several species can be aggressive pathogens causing needle cast in natural pine forests in the USA and Europe. However, their relationships with other Rhytismataceae species have historically been based on similarities of only limited phenotypic characters.

Impact of coronavirus disease 2019 in a child who underwent ventricular septal defect device closure: a case report.

Background: Studies about the incidence and severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in children are still significantly lower than those in adults. Moreover, data on the effect of COVID-19 in children with congenital heart disease (CHD) are limited. To the best of our knowledge, this study first reported mortality in a child with CHD who acquired COVID-19.

Outcomes of Primary Bidirectional Glenn in Children with Single Ventricle Physiology and Increased Pulmonary Blood Flow.

Background: We reported our experience in managing patients with single ventricle (SV) physiology and increased pulmonary blood flow (PBF), aiming to assess if it is feasible to proceed with primary Bidirectional Glenn (BDG) without a prior operation to limit PBF.

Materials And Methods: This is a retrospective study with 51 consecutive patients who underwent BDG operation as a primary operation or a second stage prior to the definitive Fontan operation at King Abdulaziz University Hospital (KAUH) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia between 2010 and 2018. Patients were categorized into two groups based on their PBF prior to the operation: Patients who had SV physiology and increased PBF (seven patients) vs.

Cardiac catheterization addressing early post-operative complications in congenital heart surgery-a single-center experience.

Background: Cardiac catheterization after congenital heart surgery may play an important role in the diagnosis and management of patients with a complicated or unusual post-operative course. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the safety, efficacy, and outcome of cardiac catheterization performed in the early post-operative period following congenital heart surgery. All patients who underwent cardiac catheterization after congenital heart surgery during the same admission of cardiac surgery from November 2015 to May 2018 were included in the study.

Novel approach for Recanalization and Limb Saving Following Acute Thrombosis of Upper Limb Arteries in Two Neonates After Congenital Heart Surgery.

Neonates with congenital heart disease are at a high risk of vascular thrombosis. Thrombosis may occur due to vascular injury, increased blood viscosity secondary to polycythemia associated with congenital cyanotic heart diseases, or stasis of blood flow associated with low cardiac output (Schmidt B & Andrew M., Pediatrics 1995; 96: 939-943.

Bovine jugular vein valved xenograft for extracardiac total cavo-pulmonary connection: The risk of thrombosis and the potential liver protection effect.

Background: Currently, non-valved conduits are preferred for extracardiac total cavo-pulmonary connection (TCPC). However, previous work has failed to provide objective data comparing the postoperative outcome between non-valved TCPCs and bovine jugular vein valved xenograft (BJV) TCPCs. Hence, the objective of this study is to compare the postoperative outcomes in extracardiac TCPC patients who received BJV vs synthetic non-valved conduits and evaluate the effect of BJV on liver fibrosis.

Genome comparison and transcriptome analysis of the invasive brown root rot pathogen, Phellinus noxius, from different geographic regions reveals potential enzymes associated with degradation of different wood substrates.

Phellinus noxius is a root-decay pathogen with a pan-tropical/subtropical distribution that attacks a wide range of tree hosts. For this study, genomic sequencing was conducted on P. noxius isolate P919-02W.

Gastrointestinal presentation of COVID-19 in a pediatric heart transplant recipient.

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-associated coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) most commonly causes a mild respiratory illness; however, there are wide ranges of presenting symptoms and disease severity. It has a mortality rate around 7%.

Case Presentation: We present a case of a 9-year-old female patient with hypoplastic left heart syndrome status post heart transplantation at age of 7 days.

Safety and efficacy of transcatheter closure of atrial septal defect type II under transthoracic echocardiographic guidance: A case control study.

Background: Transcatheter closure of secundum atrial septal defect is routinely performed under general anesthesia and transesophageal echocardiography guidance. If patients have good echo windows, the procedure could be performed under transthoracic echo guidance.

Aim Of Study: To evaluate safety and efficacy of the intervention using fluoroscopy and echo guidance.

Stent Angioplasty for Critical Native Aortic Coarctation in Three Infants: Up to 15-Year Follow-Up Without Surgical Intervention and Review of the Literature.

Management of neonatal native coarctation is debated till now. Surgical therapy remains an option but may be unwarranted in critically sick infants with complex lesions. Balloon dilatation has been employed but with early re-stenosis.

Isolated right superior vena cava draining into the left atrium in a child with vein of Galen aneurysmal malformation-case report.

Background: Isolated right Superior Vena Cava drainage into the left atrium in the absence of other cardiac anomalies is an extremely rare condition. The vein of Galen aneurysmal malformation is a congenital vascular malformation. It comprises 1% of all pediatric congenital anomalies.

Determinants of successful medical education of caregivers of children with congenital heart diseases.

Objective: To assess the implementation and efficiency of medical education among the caregivers of children with congenital heart disease (CHD) and to investigate its success factors.

Material And Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted from February 2014 to March 2014 in a tertiary healthcare center. Study included 120 caregivers of children with CHD visiting the Paediatric Cardiology Clinic that included 93% mothers, aged 31.

Rare combination of bilateral divided atrial chambers and pulmonary vein stenosis with review of the literature.

The term cor triatriatum is used to describe a fibromuscular partition that divides an atrium into two compartments. It was first used by Borst in 1905, although the lesion had been described before by Church in 1868. Both described divided left atrial chamber (also referred to as cor triatriatum sinister).

Stent protrusion in palliative congenital heart disease interventions: does it cause any harm?

Background: Protrusion of the patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) stent can occur into the lumen of the main pulmonary artery (MPA) branch, the aorta, or both. This protrusion can vary from trivial to major, causing potential obstruction to the vessel lumen, which may cause flow obstruction or risk of thromboses. As far as we know, no one has followed these patients with protruding stents to see whether they do pose a risk of obstruction or thromboses.