The Relationship between Arterial Elasticity Parameters of Ascending Aorta, Abdominal Aorta and Carotid Arteries with Carotid Intima Media Thickness in Children with Bicuspid Aortic Valve.

Background: Bicuspid aortic valve is a congenital cardiac malformation that affects not only the valve and ascending aorta but also the abdominal aorta and large central arter-ies like carotid arteries by damaging the elasticity of the vessel resulting in increased stiffness and reduced distensibility. Deterioration of aortic compliance disturbs functions of the left ventricle and triggers atherosclerosis determined with carotid intima-media thickness. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of the bicuspid aortic valve on the elastic properties of these parts of the arterial system in children.

Asymptomatic cardiac tumour with premature ventricular contraction in an athlete: case report.

Cardiac fibromas are the second most common benign primary tumour of the heart in the children; the clinical features include chest pain, arrhythmia, low cardiac output due to outflow tract obstruction, and sudden cardiac death. Sports are associated with an increased risk for sudden death in athletes who are affected by cardiovascular conditions predisposing to life-threatening arrhythmias. We present a case report of 10-year-old asymptomatic boy who was referred to the paediatric cardiology department by his general practitioner for cardiac examination before participation in competitive sports.

Early and long-term results of heart transplantation with reoperative sternotomy.

Background: This study aims to investigate the effects of reoperative sternotomy on early and long-term outcomes after heart transplantation.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed data of a total of 92 patients (72 males, 20 females; mean age 36 years; range, 3 to 61 years) who underwent orthotopic heart transplantation between May 1998 and July 2014. The patients were divided into three groups.

The evaluation of right ventricular systolic function in patients with repaired Tetralogy of Fallot by conventional echocardiographic methods and speckle tracking echocardiography: Compared with the gold standard cardiac mangenetic resonance.

Background: Right ventricular (RV) function is one of the important prognostic factors in patients with repaired Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF). We aimed to assess RV function by conventional echocardiography and two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2D-STE) in patients with repaired TOF.

Methods: Twenty-seven (male 17) adolescents and young adult patients (mean age 22.

Tp-e interval and Tp-e/QT ratio in clinically stable pediatric heart transplant recipients.

Objective: A study of the T wave peak-to-end (Tp-e) interval, the Tp-e/QT ratio, and the Tp-e/QTc ratio in pediatric heart transplant recipients (HTRs), a group which has a higher risk of sudden cardiac death than the normal population, has not previously been reported. The aim of this study was to assess alterations in ventricular repolarization using the Tp-e interval, Tp-e/ QT ratio, and Tp-e/QTc ratio in clinically stable pediatric HTRs.

Methods: A total of 13 clinically stable HTRs, 13 patients who had undergone cardiac surgery (CS) under cardiopulmonary bypass, and 16 healthy controls under 18 years of age were retrospectively evaluated.

Electroanatomic mapping-guided pediatric catheter ablation with limited/zero fluoroscopy.

Objective: The use of fluoroscopy in pediatric catheter ablation has decreased because of mapping systems. In this study, we present the efficiency and reliability of the electroanatomic mapping system in nonfluoroscopic pediatric catheter ablation.

Methods: The medical records of patients aged <18 years who underwent ablation between November 2016 and April 2018 were evaluated.

Third Generation Ventricular Assist Device: Mid-Term Outcomes of the HeartWare HVAD in Pediatric Patients.

The HeartWare HVAD is a small, third generation continuous flow pump that is intracorporeally placed for support of a failing ventricle in adult patients. This device is small in size when compared to other left ventricular assist devices and can therefore be used in smaller sized pediatric patients. We present our initial experience using the HVAD as a bridge to heart transplantation in the pediatric population.

Transesophageal and invasive electrophysiologic evaluation in children with Wolff-Parkinson-White pattern.

Background: Risk stratification for Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) pattern either by noninvasive or invasive tests is important to determine whether an ablation is necessary or not. The aim was to compare noninvasive tests and invasive studies in a pediatric WPW population.

Methods: A total of 71 WPW patients (median age 14 years [interquartile range, 11-16 years]; 43 male) underwent Holter monitoring, exercise stress test (EST), and transesophageal electrophysiological study (TEEPS).

Clinical improvement and no further need of transplant after closure of PDA with transcatheter approach in an end-stage heart failure patient with hypertrabeculation.

Although heart failure is managed medically most of the time, heart transplantation is still last resort for selected end-stage heart failure patients with noncompaction cardiomyopathy. Presently described for the first time is case of pediatric patient with noncompaction cardiomyopathy who was initially referred to our hospital for heart transplant but underwent PDA repair and improved clinically without need for heart transplant.

Closure of Secundum Atrial Septal Defects by Using the Occlutech Occluder Devices in More Than 1300 Patients: The IRFACODE Project: A Retrospective Case Series.

Background: The Occlutech Figulla ASD device series (OFSO) shows an improved device design for interventional ASD closure, larger follow-up series are missing.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the feasibility, safety, implantation properties, results, and follow-up of ASD closure using Occlutech devices over a 5 year period by establishing a multi-institutional collaborative result registry with 16 contributing centers from 11 countries (IRFACODE).

Results: In 1315 patients of all age groups (female 66.

Cardiac nodal and cardiac autonomic functions in children with vasovagal syncope.

In the present study, cardiac nodal (sinoatrial node and atrioventricular node) and cardiac autonomic functions have been investigated in children with vasovagal syncope (VVS). Thus, the effect of existing autonomic status on the characteristics of cardiac conduction system has been demonstrated in children with VVS. The study included 51 pediatric patients (the mean age was 14.

Effect of obesity on left ventricular longitudinal myocardial strain by speckle tracking echocardiography in children and adolescents.

Background: Impaired subclinical ventricular function may contribute to the risk of cardiovascular disease in obesity.

Aims: The aim of this study was to determine the influence of obesity on left ventricular (LV) longitudinal myocardial function in normotensive obese children using two-dimensional (2D) speckle tracking echocardiography (STE).

Study Design: Case-control study.

Evaluation of morphological characteristics of septal rims affecting successful transcatheter atrial septal defect closure in children and adults.

Introduction: Determining other echocardiographic predictors along with the measured atrial septal defect (ASD) size and evaluating the closure together with these predictors would increase the chance of success for transcatheter closure of ASD.

Aim: To evaluate echocardiographic parameters affecting defect closure in children and adult patients with secundum ASD.

Material And Methods: In all patients, size of ASD, total length of atrial septum (TS), superior-posterior, inferior-posterior, superior-anterior and inferior-anterior rims surrounding the defect were measured by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), and several measurement ratios were derived on the basis of TEE parameters.

Assessment of cardiac functions in fetuses of gestational diabetic mothers.

We investigated cardiac function in 67 fetuses of gestational diabetic mothers (FGDMs) and 122 fetuses of healthy mothers between 24 and 36 weeks of gestation. Cardiac functions were evaluated by M-mode, pulsed-wave, and tissue Doppler echocardiography. Fetal echocardiograms were performed at 24, 28, 32, and 36 weeks of gestation.

Early subclinical left-ventricular dysfunction in obese nonhypertensive children: a tissue Doppler imaging study.

A direct effect of obesity on myocardial function has not been not well established. Our aim was to investigate the effect of body mass index (BMI) and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) on left-ventricular (LV) myocardial function in normotensive overweight and obese children by tissue Doppler imaging (TDI). We calculated the mitral annular displacement index (DI) and myocardial performance index (MPI) using TDI indices of systolic and diastolic LV function.

[Double aortic arch with dominant left arch: case report].

A vascular ring is defined as an anomaly of the great arteries (aortic arch and its branches) that compresses the trachea or esophagus. Double aortic arch is the most common vascular ring. Double aortic arch is very rare and typically becomes symptomatic in infancy or early childhood.

[Echocardiographic evaluation of left ventricular function in normotansive obese children: a comparative analysis according to body mass index].

Objectives: The purpose of our study was to determine structural and functional changes on left ventricular function (LV) according to body mass index (BMI) in normotansive overweight and obese children.

Study Design: Thirty normotansive overweight children (group 2; mean age: 13.2 ± 2.

Analysis of maximum P-wave duration and dispersion after percutaneous closure of atrial septal defects: comparison of two septal occluders.

Objective: Amplatzer septal occluder (ASO) is the most widely used device for closure of atrial septal defect (ASD). Figulla septal occluder (FSO) is a similar device to ASO with some structural innovations. The aim of study is to assess the maximum P-wave duration (Pmax) and dispersion (Pd) in patients who underwent ASD closure with both devices, to determine the effects of structural innovations on atrial electrical inhomogeneity.

[Transcatheter closure of atrial septal defects in a patient with lipomatous hypertrophy of the interatrial septum].

Lipomatous hypertrophy of the interatrial septum is a rare benign pathology characterized by fatty deposits in the septum and is mostly diagnosed incidentally. This accumulation mostly causes a globular thickening of the interatrial septum, commonly sparing the fossa ovalis. We report on a 65-year-old female patient who underwent successful transcatheter closure of atrial septal defects (ASD) accompanied by lipomatous hypertrophy of the septum.