Outcomes of palliative right ventricle to pulmonary artery connection for pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect.

Objectives: To determine the early, intermediate and long-term outcomes of pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect (PA/VSD) Types I, II and III initially palliated by a right ventricle to pulmonary artery (RVPA) connection.

Methods: We performed a retrospective study from 2000 to 2014 that included 109 patients with PA/VSD who had undergone an RVPA connection (tetralogy of Fallot and PA/VSD Type IV excluded). The end-points of this strategy were adequate pulmonary artery tree post-palliation, second palliation, biventricular repair, right ventricular pressure post-biventricular repair and late reoperation.

Dilatable pulmonary artery band: Safety and efficacy of balloon dilatation.

Objectives: Review early and midterm results of dilatable pulmonary artery band (PAB).

Background: PAB is performed in various conditions: as a transient stage before ventricular septal defect (VSD) closure, as a palliative procedure for multiple VSD or to prepare the left ventricle (LV) before switch or double switch operations in transposition of the great artery (TGA) or congenitally corrected transposition of great arteries (CCTGA).

Methods: All children with dilatation of PAB were reviewed.

Aortic root replacement in children: a word of caution about valve-sparing procedures.

Objective: Evaluate the results of various surgical procedures used for aortic root replacement in children with aortic root aneurysm.

Methods: Between 1986 and 2007, 23 children (less than 16 years of age, mean age: 8.1+/-5.

Myocardial revascularization in infants and children by means of coronary artery proximal patch arterioplasty or bypass grafting: a single-institution experience.

Objective: We sought to evaluate midterm functional and anatomic results after coronary artery surgical arterioplasty or bypass grafting in infants and children.

Methods: Data concerning all consecutive patients operated on for myocardial revascularization in our institution between 1992 and 2004 were retrospectively analyzed.

Results: Twenty-five patients (mean age, 5.

Arterial aneurysms and tuberous sclerosis: a classic but little known association.

Tuberous sclerosis is a rare autosomal dominant syndrome in which aortic aneurysm is a classic but little known cause of sudden death. We report a 20-month-old boy with tuberous sclerosis and iliofemoral arterial aneurysms. This case highlights the importance of systematic screening for such vascular complications.

The Ross procedure in infants and young children.

Background: This study reviews our experience with the Ross procedure in infants and young children.

Methods: From September 1993 to September 2004, 52 children less than 15 years of age underwent a Ross procedure. The patients ranged in age from 4 days to 15 years old (median, 5 years).

Orthotopic heart transplantation for congenital heart defects: situs inversus.

Although rare, visceroatrial situs inversus is not exceptional in patients with complex congenital heart defects. Achieving orthotopic heart transplantation using a graft harvested in a donor with situs solitus is surgically demanding. Technical problems can, however, be overcome by adequate harvesting of donor heart and by the use of innovative reimplantation techniques.

Orthotopic heart transplantation for congenital heart defects: anomalies of the systemic venous return.

Anomalies of the systemic venous return are frequently associated with other congenital heart defects. Some anomalies do not complicate really orthotopic heart transplantation (such as azygos continuation of the inferior vena cava). Other anomalies raise more difficulties; the most frequent one is persistent left superior vena cava draining into either the coronary sinus or the left atrium.

Culture-negative pericarditis caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C.

We describe a case of primary purulent culture-negative pericarditis caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C occurring in an 8-month-old previously healthy boy, which was detected in pericardial fluid by broad-spectrum PCR amplification.

Histomorphometric analysis of pulmonary vessels in single ventricle for better selection of patients for the Fontan operation.

Objective: In cases of single-ventricle physiology, the Fontan procedure often fails even when the usual selection criteria are strictly respected. We analyzed specimens from intraoperative open lung biopsies performed on 40 patients with single-ventricle physiology who were considered to be good candidates for the Fontan procedure. Histomorphometric study was performed to determine histologic factors predictive of failure of the Fontan procedure.