Utility of Three-Dimensional Printed Model in Biventricular Repair of Complex Congenital Cardiac Defects: Case Report and Review of Literature.

Heterotaxy is a rare syndrome associated with cardiac complexity, anatomic variability and high morbidity and mortality. It is often challenging to visualize and provide an accurate diagnosis of the cardiac anatomy prior to surgery with the use of conventional imaging techniques. We report a unique case demonstrating how the use of three-dimensional (3D) cardiac printed model allowed us to better understand the anatomical complexity and plan a tailored surgical approach for successful biventricular repair in a patient with heterotaxy syndrome.

Is Interarterial Course a Requisite for Ischemia in Anomalous Origin of Coronary Arteries?

Anomalous origin of the left main coronary artery from the noncoronary sinus (LCANS) is a rare variant of anomalous aortic origin of a coronary artery that is not characterized by an interarterial course. Despite the absence of an interarterial course, there are rare reports of LCANS presenting with sudden death, life-threatening arrhythmia, exercise-induced myocardial ischemia, premature ventricular contractions, and syncope. We report a patient with LCANS presenting with acute myocardial infarction who recovered completely with emergent surgical unroofing of the coronary artery.

Surgical management of secondary tricuspid valve regurgitation: annulus, commissure, or leaflet procedure?

Objectives: Techniques employed today concomitantly with left-sided heart valve surgery address secondary tricuspid valve regurgitation at 3 anatomic levels-annulus, commissure, and leaflet-although success of these alone or in combination in eliminating tricuspid regurgitation is uncertain. Our objective was to assess the comparative effectiveness of these techniques in reducing or eliminating secondary tricuspid regurgitation.

Methods: From 1990 to 2008, 2277 patients underwent tricuspid valve procedures for secondary tricuspid regurgitation concomitantly with mitral (n = 1527, 67%), aortic (n = 180, 7.

Aortic translocation for the management of double-outlet right ventricle and pulmonary stenosis with dextrocardia: technique to avoid coronary insufficiency.

The management of D-loop transposition of the great arteries with left ventricular outflow tract obstruction and related forms of double-outlet right ventricle is challenging. Association with right ventricular and tricuspid valve hypoplasia and dextrocardia represents a major obstacle to achieve a biventricular repair. The most commonly used technique to deal with this condition, which is the Rastelli operation, further reduces the potentially compromised right ventricular volume due to the left ventricle-to-aorta baffle.

Preoperative extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as a bridge to cardiac surgery in children with congenital heart disease.

Background: The efficacy of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in bridging children with unrepaired heart defects to a definitive or palliative surgical procedure has been rarely reported. The goal of this study is to report our institutional experience with ECMO used to provide preoperative stabilization after acute cardiac or respiratory failure in patients with congenital heart disease before cardiac surgery.

Methods: A retrospective review of the ECMO database at Children's Hospital Boston was undertaken.

Pattern of pulmonary venous flow in patients with ostium secundum atrial septal defect.

Aims: The purpose of this study is to determine the possible influence of a left to right atrial shunt over the pulmonary venous flow pattern in children with ostium secundum atrial septal defect (ASD).

Methods And Results: Complete two-dimensional, spectral Doppler and colour flow Doppler examination were undertaken to examine the pulmonary vein flow pattern in 74 patients with ASD. This group was compared with a control group of 49 non-cardiological patients of similar ages and gender.

[Echocardiographic Doppler evaluation of ventricular function in children with an atrial septal defect].

Introduction And Objectives: To evaluate ventricular function using Doppler echocardiography in patients with an atrial septal defect (ASD).

Methods: The study involved 158 children, who were divided into two groups: Group 1 comprised 111 children with an ASD, and Group 2, 47 healthy children. Left ventricular systolic function was evaluated by measuring the ejection fraction, the shortening fraction, and the systolic mitral annular velocity (by tissue Doppler), and right ventricular systolic function, by measuring the systolic tricuspid annular velocity.