Complications after transesophageal echocardiogram in pediatric patients with gastrostomy tube and/or Nissen fundoplication.

Introduction: Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is frequently used in children with and without congenital heart disease when transthoracic echocardiography is inadequate for visualizing cardiac structures. Recent guidelines state relative contraindications of TEE include post-gastrostomy tube (GT) or Nissen fundoplication surgery. No data exist documenting the incidence of complications in this population after a TEE.

Ruptured myocardial abscess causing left ventricle to pulmonary artery communication in an infant with community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus endocarditis.

Myocardial abscess perforation is an extremely rare complication of infective endocarditis. We present a case of a 12-month-old infant who developed community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia after an incision and drainage of a skin abscess. He subsequently developed septic emboli to the brain and lungs, and a myocardial cavity in the outlet portion of the interventricular septum.

Unusual surgical repair of the Taussig-Bing heart: evaluation of complex anatomy in the adult with congenital heart disease with cardiovascular magnetic resonance.

Double outlet right ventricle is a heterogeneous congenital defect that encompasses a variety of anatomic aberrations and physiologic consequences. We describe the unusual cardiovascular magnetic resonance anatomic findings and sequelae of a 44-year-old man who underwent biventricular repair of double outlet right ventricle, subpulmonary type, which included tunneling of the ventricular septal defect to the pulmonary artery, right ventricular-to-pulmonary artery conduit and Damus-Kaye-Stansel procedure.

Echocardiographic parameters that predict outcome in aortic atresia patients undergoing comprehensive stage II procedure.

Background: The hybrid procedure is one option for palliating patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome. As experience increases with this palliation, the physiology and its influence on outcome can be better assessed. The goal of this study was to determine if echocardiographic parameters correlate with post-operative variables in patients with aortic atresia undergoing the comprehensive Stage II procedure.

Interstage echocardiographic changes in patients undergoing hybrid stage I palliation for hypoplastic left heart syndrome.

Objective: The hybrid procedure is an alternative for initial palliation for patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome. No echocardiographic data exist for the interstage (IS) period. The goal of this study was to describe the echocardiographic changes during this period.

The effect of common origin of the carotid arteries in neurologic outcome after neonatal ECMO.

Background: Common origin of the carotid arteries (COCA) is a normal anatomic variant reported to occur in approximately 11% of the general population. The objective of this study was to determine whether this variant places venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) patients at a higher risk for adverse neurologic sequelae owing to potential occlusion of both carotid arteries by the arterial cannula.

Methods: The authors reviewed clinical records and echocardiograms of the initial 220 ECMO patients at their institution.