Transcatheter Closure of Atrial Septal Defect in Children: Single-Center Experience, Mid-Term Follow-up Results.

Objective: Atrial septal defect is a congenital heart disease usually diagnosed in childhood. This study aimed to evaluate the mid-term follow-up results of patients who underwent trans- catheter closure of atrial septal defect by comparing the devices and methods used in the procedure and investigating the complications of this procedure in children.

Materials And Methods: This study evaluated 232 patient files retrospectively.

Quantification of Hepatic and Splenic Stiffness After Fontan Procedure in Children and Clinical Implications.

We aimed to investigate Fontan associated liver disease in children by shear wave elastography (SWE). This is a single-center, prospective case-control study included 41 patients with Fontan physiology and 30 healthy controls. Hepatic and splenic shear wave elasticity values were exhibited both as kPa and m/s.

The effect of DALI lipid apheresis in the prognosis of homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia: Seven patients' experience at a DALI apheresis center.

Introduction: Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is characterized by severe hypercholesterolemia that can result in coronary artery disease occurring at an early age. If patients are not cured with lipid-lowering drugs and diets, lipid apheresis may be an effective treatment option in these cases. Here, we evaluate the efficacy, selectivity and safety of the DALI apheresis technique.

Assessment of lipid profile and some risk factors of atherosclerosis in children whose parents had early onset coronary artery disease.

Background/aim: The objective of our study was to analyze the lipid profile and some risk factors of atherosclerosis such as oxidized-low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL), small dense LDL (sd LDL) in the offspring of patients with premature coronary heart disease (CHD).

Population And Methods: Children whose parents had early onset CHD were matched with age and sex pairs. Study and controls were analyzed for lipid levels, apolipoproteins (Apo- A,B,E), ox-LDL, sd LDL and lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)].

[Balloon valvuloplasty for aortic stenosis using umbilical vein access in a newborn: First experience in Turkey].

Balloon valvuloplasty is an effective therapy for severe congenital aortic valve stenosis, with mild aortic insufficiency and minimal intermediate-term restenosis. No consensus currently exists regarding optimal vascular approach for balloon dilatation in newborns with critical or severe aortic valve stenosis. Critical aortic valve stenosis in newborns must be treated promptly and effectively.

Saccular aneurysm formation of the descending aorta associated with aortic coarctation in an infant.

Aneurysm of the descending aorta associated with CoA is an extremely rare congenital abnormality. In this report, we present a 16 months old female patient in whom cardiac catheterization had been performed which had revealed a segment of coarctation and saccular aneurysm in the descending aorta. The patient was operated and a 3x2 centimeters aneurysm which embraces the coarcted segment in descending aorta was resected.

The utility of cardiac MRI in diagnosis of infective endocarditis: preliminary results.

Purpose: We aimed to evaluate the utility of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the diagnosis of infective endocarditis (IE).

Methods: Sixteen patients with a preliminary diagnosis of IE (10 women and six men; age range, 4-66 years) were referred for cardiac MRI. MRI sequences were as follows: echo-planar cine true fast imaging with steady-state precession (true-FISP), dark-blood fast spin echo T1-weighted imaging, T2-weighted imaging, dark-blood half-Fourier single shot turbo spin echo (HASTE), and early contrast-enhanced first-pass fast low-angle shot (FLASH).

Aborted sudden cardiac death in a child with left ventricular non-compaction.

Left ventricular non-compaction is a rare form of cardiomyopathy believed to be the result of intrauterine arrest of compaction of the endomyocardial morphogenesis, leading to persistence of the embryonic myocardium. Clinical manifestations are highly variable, ranging from no symptoms to a progressive deterioration in cardiac function that results in congestive heart failure, systemic thromboemboli, arrhythmias, and sudden cardiac death. Presented here is the case of a 4-year-old child with a history of aborted sudden cardiac death.

Cardiovascular abnormalities in Williams syndrome: 20 years'experience in Istanbul.

Aims: Williams syndrome (WS) is a microdeletion syndrome affecting cardiovascular and connective tissue as well as the endocrine and central nervous systems in 1 in 10,000 live births. This study aims to identify and evaluate cardiovascular abnormalities (CVAs) in 45 WS patients.

Patients And Methods: We retrospectively reviewed a cohort of WS patients who were followed at our institution from January 1, 1990 through December 31, 2010.

Evaluation of coronary artery abnormalities in Williams syndrome patients using myocardial perfusion scintigraphy and CT angiography.

Background: Sudden death risk in Williams syndrome (WS) patients has been shown to be 25-100 times higher than in the general population. This study aims to detect coronary artery anomalies and myocardial perfusion defects in WS patients using noninvasive diagnostic methods.

Methods: This study features 38 patients diagnosed with WS.

Permanent cardiac pacing in a 2.5 month-old infant with severe cyanotic breath-holding spells and prolonged asystole.

We report the case of a 2.5 month-old infant with cyanotic breath-holding spells, loss of consciousness and seizures. Prolonged asystole up to 70 s despite cardiopulmonary resuscitation was documented by 24 hour Holter monitoring.

[The comparison a 16-year follow-up results of balloon angioplasty for aortic coarctation in children of different age groups: a single-center experience].

Objective: Pediatric patients with different age groups who underwent balloon angioplasty for aortic coarctation were evaluated for recoarctation, aneurysm, peripheral arterial injuries and concomitant diseases.

Methods: From January 1994 to 2010, 80 patients with aortic coarctation (native/recoarctation) were evaluated, retrospectively. According to age at angioplasty, patients were divided into three groups: Group A (0-3 months, n=29, 25 male/4 female, average weight 4±1.

Electrocardiographic findings at initial diagnosis in children with isolated left ventricular noncompaction.

Background: The aim of this study was to comprehensively evaluate electrocardiographic (ECG) findings of isolated left ventricular noncompaction (IVNC) patients at initial diagnosis and to explore the correlation between them and the clinical, echocardiographic, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings.

Methods: Twenty-three patients diagnosed with IVNC by echocardiography and cardiac MRI between January 2006 and June 2010 were enrolled in this study. The patients were examined with standard ECG and 24-hour Holter ECG.

Therapeutic combination of sildenafil and iloprost in a preterm neonate with pulmonary hypertension.

While new pharmacological approaches have been demonstrated to effectively manage PH in adults, few reports have addressed PH treatment in neonates and infants. This case report describes the successful management of severe PH secondary to bronchopulmonary dysplasia, respiratory syncytial virus infection, and hypoxia in a preterm 4-month-old with the long-term use of orally administered sildenafil and inhaled iloprost.

Left ventricular non-compaction in children and adolescents: clinical features, treatment and follow-up.

Background: Left ventricular non-compaction (LVNC) is a specific cardiomyopathy that occurs following a disruption of endomyocardial morphogenesis. This study presents clinical findings, diagnostic features, treatment and follow-up of pediatric patients diagnosed with LVNC.

Methods: Patients with LVNC who were followed from January 2006 to March 2010 were included in this study.

[Acute cyanosis after transcatheter balloon valvuloplasty: toxic methemoglobinemia due to local prilocaine use].

Methemoglobinemia is characterized by varying degrees of cyanosis due to increased hemoglobin concentrations containing oxidized iron. Prilocaine is a widely used local anesthetic and can cause methemoglobinemia in infants even in therapeutic doses. We present two female infants (younger than 2 months) who developed severe cyanosis after transcatheter pulmonary balloon valvuloplasty and were diagnosed with toxic methemoglobinemia.

An evaluation of children with Kawasaki disease in Istanbul: a retrospective follow-up study.

Background: Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute, self-limiting vasculitis of unknown etiology. The incidence of KD is increasing world wide. However, the epidemiological data for KD in Turkey has not been well described.

Kearns-Sayre syndrome presenting as somatomedin C deficiency and complete heart block.

Kearns-Sayre syndrome (KSS) is a rare mitochondrial disease in which neuromuscular structures, endocrine glands, and cardiac conduction systems are most commonly involved. An 11-year-old boy was admitted with blurred consciousness, respiratory instability, and bradycardia of two-hour onset. He was immediately intubated.

Acute pericarditis and transient erythroblastopenia associated with human parvovirus B19 infection.

We report on an eight-year-old girl with acute pericarditis and transient erythroblastopenia associated with human parvovirus B19 (PVB19) infection. The patient presented with complaints of fever, chest pain, fatigue, and shortness of breath. On physical examination, she had tachycardia, hepatomegaly, and muffled heart sounds.

Cardiac surgery of premature and low birthweight newborns: is a change of fate possible?

Low birthweight (LBW) continues to be a high-risk factor in surgery for congenital heart disease. This risk is particularly very high in very low birthweight infants under 1500g and extremely LBW infants under 1000g. From January 2005 to December 2008, 33 consecutive LBW neonates underwent cardiac surgery in our clinic in keeping with the criteria for choice of surgery.

Electrocardiographic markers for the early detection of cardiac disease in patients with beta-thalassemia major.

Objective: To comparatively evaluate P-wave dispersion (PWD) in patients with beta-thalassemia major (TM) and healthy control subjects for the early prediction of arrhythmia risk.

Methods: Eighty-one children with beta-TM, aged 4-19 years, and 74 healthy children (control group) underwent routine electrocardiography and transthoracic echocardiography for cardiac evaluation. PWD was calculated as the difference between the maximum and the minimum P-wave duration.

Congenital heart disease in children with Down's syndrome: Turkish experience of 13 years.

Background: Down's syndrome (DS) is the most common chromosomal abnormality due to a trisomy of chromosome 21 commonly associated with congenital heart defects (CHDs). This study aimed to evaluate the frequency and types of CHD patterns in Turkish children with DS.

Method: The data relate to paediatric patients with DS who underwent cardiologic screening between 1994 and 2007 and were reviewed in our Paediatric Cardiology unit.