Usefulness of perioperative transoesophageal echocardiography during paediatric cardiac surgery.

Background: Paediatric transoesophageal echocardiography probes allow perioperative evaluation during paediatric congenital heart disease surgery.

Aim: To assess the usefulness of perioperative transoesophageal echocardiography in evaluating the severity of residual lesions, based on the type of congenital heart disease repaired in paediatric patients.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on paediatric patients who underwent open-heart surgery at our tertiary centre over a four-year period.

Bidirectional Glenn and antegrade pulmonary blood flow: temporary or definitive palliation?

Background: We sought to investigate the role of the bidirectional Glenn with antegrade pulmonary blood flow in the surgical history of children with univentricular hearts.

Methods: A series of 246 patients, from three joint institutions, having univentricular heart with restricted but not critical pulmonary blood flow received a bidirectional cavopulmonary shunt with additional forward pulmonary blood flow. All patients have been studied according to their progression, or not, to Fontan operation.

Implantation of a Berlin Heart as single ventricle by-pass on Fontan circulation in univentricular heart failure.

The clinical management of ventricular failure after the Fontan operation presents a formidable challenge to surgeons. We report our experience with successful implantation of a Berlin Heart EXCOR ventricular assist device as a bridge to transplantation in a child with Fontan circulation.