Impact of cardiac position, morphology and operative technique on long-term fontan outcomes in heterotaxy.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the outcomes of heterotaxy patients undergone the Fontan operation, focusing on morphological features and surgical techniques.

Methods: Eighty-two consecutive heterotaxy patients who underwent the Fontan operation from 1985 to 2021 were compared to 150 patients with tricuspid atresia (TA) and 144 patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazard model were used to analyze transplant-free survival and predictor of outcomes.

Mixed reality for preoperative planning and intraoperative assistance of surgical correction of complex congenital heart defects.

Objectives: Mixed reality (MixR) is an innovative visualization tool that presents virtual elements in a real-world environment, enabling real-time interaction between the user and the combined digital/physical reality. We aimed to explore the feasibility of MixR in enhancing preoperative planning and intraoperative guidance for the correction of various complex congenital heart defects (CHDs).

Methods: Patients underwent cardiac computed tomography or cardiac magnetic resonance and segmentation of digital imaging and communications in medicine (DICOM) images was performed.

Congenital cardiac surgical simulation: bridging global workforce gaps and optimizing outcomes.

Reaching competency in congenital heart surgery (CHS) requires lengthy and rigorous training. Due to patient safety, time limitations, and procedural complexity, the intraoperative setting is not ideal for technical practice. Surgical simulation using synthetic, biological, or virtual models is an increasingly valuable educational tool for technical training and assessment.

Life satisfaction around the world: Measurement invariance of the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) across 65 nations, 40 languages, gender identities, and age groups.

The Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) is a widely used self-report measure of subjective well-being, but studies of its measurement invariance across a large number of nations remain limited. Here, we utilised the Body Image in Nature (BINS) dataset-with data collected between 2020 and 2022 -to assess measurement invariance of the SWLS across 65 nations, 40 languages, gender identities, and age groups (N = 56,968). All participants completed the SWLS under largely uniform conditions.

Staged Approach: The Role of Delayed Repair Following Complete Unifocalization of Major Aortopulmonary Collateral Arteries with Ventricular Septal Defect and Pulmonary Atresia.

The presentation of pulmonary vasculature in pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect and major aortopulmonary collateral arteries (PA/VSD/MAPCA) is highly variable-as is the number, size and position of the MAPCAs and their relationship with the native pulmonary artery system. The priority in the management of this disease should be attaining timely and complete unifocalization, as opposed to single-stage full repair in every case. The merit of early unifocalization is that it secures the pulmonary vascular bed by (a) avoiding loss of lung segments from progressive stenosis/atresia of MAPCA origins, (b) preventing lung injury from high pressure/flow in areas fed by large, unobstructed MAPCAs, and (c) restoring central continuity of the pulmonary vasculature.