Outcomes of the Kawashima: A Society of Thoracic Surgeons Congenital Heart Surgery Database Analysis.

Background: We aimed to evaluate the effect of age at operation on postoperative outcomes in children undergoing a Kawashima operation.

Methods: The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Congenital Heart Surgery Database was queried for Kawashima procedures from January 1, 2014, to June 30, 2020. Patients were stratified by age at operation in months: 0 to <4, 4 to <8, 8 to <12, and >12.

Evaluation of concordance in estimation of excess mortality due to COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) kept track of COVID-19 data at country level daily during the pandemic that included the number of tests, infected cases and fatalities. This daily record was susceptible to change depending on the time and place and impacted by underreporting. In addition to reporting cases of excess COVID-19-related deaths, the WHO also provided estimates of excess mortality based on mathematical models.

Alarming Trend in Under-Five Indian Children's Exposure to Indoor Tobacco Smoke.

Background And Aim: Children who are exposed to tobacco smoke (ETS) are at risk for a variety of health issues. There are enough legislative provisions in Indian law to safeguard children from ETS in outdoor settings, but no such specific rules exist to shield them from exposure indoors. This study aimed to examine the trend in under-five children's exposure to indoor tobacco smoke over the course of a decade (from 2005 to 2016) in India.

Evolution of Pulmonary Valve Management During Repair of Tetralogy of Fallot: A 14-year Experience.

Background: The optimal repair strategy for tetralogy of Fallot remains controversial. This report presents a 14-year evolution of management of the pulmonary valve (PV) from transannular patch to valve-sparing repair to neovalve creation using living right atrial appendage tissue.

Methods: A retrospective review of 172 consecutive patients undergoing complete repair for TOF between January 2007 and June 2021 was performed.

Technique for Neo-Pulmonary Valve Creation With Living Tissue for Repair of Atrioventricular Septal Defect and Tetralogy of Fallot.

Long-standing effects of pulmonary regurgitation after transannular patch repair in Tetralogy of Fallot (ToF) can be especially deleterious in the setting of combined ToF and complete atrioventricular septal defect (CAVSD). We present a technique for a complete repair of combined ToF/CAVSD using right atrial appendage tissue to create a competent neo-pulmonary valve. This technique provides advantages of right heart protection via pulmonary valve competence and the use of living tissue capable of growth with the patient, potentially obviating the need for repeat interventions.

Pediatric heart-lung transplantation: Technique and special considerations.

Heart-lung transplantation has historically been used as a definitive treatment for children with end-stage cardiopulmonary failure, although the number performed has steadily decreased over time. In this review, we discuss current indications, preoperative risk factors, outcomes, and heart-lung transplantation in unique patient subsets, including infants, children with single-ventricle physiology, tetralogy of Fallot/major aortopulmonary collateral arteries, and prior Potts shunt palliation. We also describe the different surgical techniques utilized in pediatric heart-lung transplantation.

Evolution of Ventricular Assist Device Support Strategy in Children With Univentricular Physiology.

Background: Since 2012, we have supported 18 children with single ventricle (SV) physiology on ventricular assist devices (VADs) as a bridge to decision, transplantation, or recovery. We provide a detailed report of our cumulative surgical experience and lessons learned from these patients.

Methods: We reviewed all SV-VADs between March 2012 and April 2020.

Improved Outcomes of Infant Lung Transplantation Over 3 Decades.

Background: Lung transplantation is the definitive surgical treatment for end-stage lung disease. However, infants comprise less than 5% of pediatric cases. This study sought to provide an overview of infant lung transplantation outcomes over the past 3 decades by using linked United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) and Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS) data.

A comparison of cardiopulmonary bypass versus extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: Does intraoperative circulatory support strategy affect outcomes in pediatric lung transplantation?

Objective: Data on adult lung transplantation suggest perioperative benefits of intraoperative extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) compared to cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Information regarding their pediatric counterparts, however, is limited. This study compares outcomes of intraoperative ECMO versus CPB in pediatric lung transplantation.

Diversity in substance use behaviour among street children of Delhi under Bayesian paradigm.

Background: Shannon's index is one of the measures of biodiversity, which is intended to quantify both richness and evenness of the species/individuals in the ecosystem or community. However, application of Shannon's index in the field of substance use among the street children has not been done till date.

Methods: This paper is concerned with methods of estimating Shannon's diversity index (SDI), which can be used to capture the variation in the population due to certain characteristics.

Global lockdown: An effective safeguard in responding to the threat of COVID-19.

Rationale, Aims, And Objectives: The recent outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) has infected around 1 560 000 individuals till 10 April 2020, which has resulted in 95 000 deaths globally. While no vaccine or anti-viral drugs for COVID-19 are available, lockdown acts as a protective public health measures to reduce human interaction and lower transmission. The study aims to explore the impact of delayed planning or lack of planning for the lockdown and inadequate implementation of the lockdown, on the transmission rate of COVID-19.

Surgical considerations in infant lung transplantation: Challenges and opportunities.

Lung transplantation is a crucial component in the treatment of end-stage lung disease in infants. Traditionally, most lung transplants have been performed in older children and adults, resulting in a scarcity of data for infant patients. To address the challenges unique to this age group, novel strategies to provide the best preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative care for these youngest patients are paramount.

Time-to-Death approach in revealing Chronicity and Severity of COVID-19 across the World.

Background: The outbreak of coronavirus disease, 2019 (COVID-19), which started from Wuhan, China, in late 2019, have spread worldwide. A total of 5,91,971 cases and 2,70,90 deaths were registered till 28th March, 2020. We aimed to predict the impact of duration of exposure to COVID-19 on the mortality rates increment.

Prevalence and determinants of caesarean section in South and South-East Asian women.

Background: Caesarean section is considered a relatively preferable and safe method of delivery as compared to normal delivery. Since the last decade, its prevalence has increased in both developed and developing countries. In the context of developing countries viz.

Description and analysis of patients and outcomes following third-time heart transplantation: An analysis of the United Network for Organ Sharing database from 1985 to 2017.

Background: Following second heart transplantation (HTx), some patients experience graft failure and require third-time heart transplantation. Little data exist to guide decision-making with regard to repeat retransplantation in older patients.

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort analysis of patients receiving a third HTx, as identified in the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) database from 1985 to 2017.

Analysis of Morphological Features of Benign and Malignant Breast Cell Extracted From FNAC Microscopic Image Using the Pearsonian System of Curves.

Context: Cytological changes in terms of shape and size of nuclei are some of the common morphometric features to study breast cancer, which can be observed by careful screening of fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) images.

Aims: This study attempts to categorize a collection of FNAC microscopic images into benign and malignant classes based on family of probability distribution using some morphometric features of cell nuclei.

Materials And Methods: For this study, features namely area, perimeter, eccentricity, compactness, and circularity of cell nuclei were extracted from FNAC images of both benign and malignant samples using an image processing technique.

Novel, 3D Display of Heart Models in the Postoperative Care Setting Improves CICU Caregiver Confidence.

Background: Postoperative care delivered in the pediatric cardiac intensive care unit (CICU) relies on providers' understanding of patients' congenital heart defects (CHDs) and procedure performed. Novel, bedside use of virtual, three-dimensional (3D) heart models creates access to patients' CHD to improve understanding. This study evaluates the impact of patient-specific virtual 3D heart models on CICU provider attitudes and care delivery.

Uhl's anomaly: A one and a half ventricular repair in a patient presenting with cardiac arrest.

Uhl's anomaly, first reported in 1952, is an extremely rare congenital cardiac defect characterized by partial or complete loss of the right ventricular myocardium and unknown etiology. Fewer than 100 cases have been described. The response to medical management is poor and there is no known ideal surgical approach or timing for treatment.

Risk Factors for Development of Ectopic Atrial Tachycardia in Post-operative Congenital Heart Disease.

Ectopic atrial tachycardia (EAT) is common in surgically repaired congenital heart disease (CHD) and carries the potential for significant hemodynamic compromise. Our objective was to determine the incidence, and risk factors of EAT after CHD surgery. Prospective study of patients that underwent surgery for CHD from February to October 2016 was performed.

Aortopexy for Life-Threatening Airway Obstruction Following Division of Double Aortic Arch.

Symptoms of airway compression secondary to double aortic arch are relieved by division of one of the two aortic arches. However, in some cases inherent tracheomalacia and other factors may result in persistence of symptoms. We report one such occurrence in our experience and describe the use of aortopexy as a curative procedure to tackle this problem.

Clinical and pathologic implications of extending the spectrum of maternal autoantibodies reactive with ribonucleoproteins associated with cutaneous and now cardiac neonatal lupus from SSA/Ro and SSB/La to U1RNP.

While the relationship between maternal connective tissue diseases and neonatal rashes was described in the 1960s and congenital heart block in the 1970s, the "culprit" antibody reactivity to the SSA/Ro-SSB/La ribonucleoprotein complex was not identified until the 1980s. However, studies have shown that approximately 10-15% of cases of congenital heart block are not exposed to anti-SSA/Ro-SSB/La. Whether those cases represent a different disease entity or whether another antibody is associated has yet to be determined.