Specific Morphology of Coronary Artery Aneurysms in Mainly White Patients With Kawasaki Disease: Initial Data From the Cardiac Catheterization in Kawasaki Disease Registry.

Background: Patients with Kawasaki disease (KD) with coronary artery involvement require long-term cardiac care. Although respective evidence-based recommendations are missing, cardiac catheterization is still considered the gold standard for diagnosing detailed coronary pathology. Therefore, to better understand coronary artery pathology development, we conducted a survey to document and evaluate cardiac catheterization data in a European population.

Echocardiography: conotruncal anomaly: a case of common arterial trunk with intact ventricular septum and hypoplastic left heart complex with unbalanced pulmonary stenoses.

We describe the echocardiographic findings of a common arterial trunk with intact ventricular septum, mitral and left ventricular hypoplasia, atretic left ventricular outlet and bilateral, and unbalanced pulmonary artery stenoses.

Cardiovascular magnetic resonance pulmonary perfusion for guidance of interventional treatment of pulmonary vein stenosis.

Background: Pulmonary vein (PV) stenosis represents a rare but serious complication following radiofrequency ablation of atrial fibrillation with a comprehensive diagnosis including morphological stenosis grading together with the assessment of its functional consequences being imperative within the relatively narrow window for therapeutic intervention. The present study determined the clinical utility of a combined, single-session cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging protocol integrating pulmonary perfusion and PV angiographic assessment for pre-procedural planning and follow-up of patients referred for interventional PV stenosis treatment.

Methods: CMR examinations (cine imaging, dynamic pulmonary perfusion, three-dimensional PV angiography) were performed in 32 consecutive patients prior to interventional treatment of PV stenosis and at 1-day and 3-months follow-up.

Common Genetic Variants Contribute to Risk of Transposition of the Great Arteries.

Rationale: Dextro-transposition of the great arteries (D-TGA) is a severe congenital heart defect which affects approximately 1 in 4,000 live births. While there are several reports of D-TGA patients with rare variants in individual genes, the majority of D-TGA cases remain genetically elusive. Familial recurrence patterns and the observation that most cases with D-TGA are sporadic suggest a polygenic inheritance for the disorder, yet this remains unexplored.

A case report: Amplatzer occluder device closure of an iatrogenic ventricular septal defect following radiofrequency ablation.

Background: Interventricular septal perforation is an extremely rare complication of radiofrequency ablation (RFA), with an incidence of 1%. The most common mechanism is a 'steam pop', which can be described as 'mini-explosions' of gas bubbles. Data for percutaneous repair of cardiac perforations due to RFA are limited.

Performance of pacemaker leads in alternative lead positions after tricuspid valve replacement.

Background: Bradycardic arrhythmias requiring pacemaker (PM) implantation are still common in patients in need of tricuspid valve replacement (TVR). Leaving an existing PM lead in an extravalvular position may represent a helpful alternative in special situations like the implantation of a mechanical TV. This study aimed to examine the short- to mid-term outcome of paravalvular leads concerning lead survival and prosthesis dysfunction in patients after TVR.

Physiologic effects and functional outcome after treatment of dysfunctional right ventricular outflow tract in congenital heart disease using a two-stage intervention.

Background: Pathophysiological differences in relief of pulmonary stenosis (PS) as opposed to pulmonary regurgitation (PR) by percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation (PPVI) remain elusive, but might impact current assessment of procedural success and ultimately indications.

Methods: Invasive pressure measurements, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and cardiopulmonary exercise testing were performed before pre-stenting (BMS), after BMS and after PPVI in patients with either PS or PR.

Results: In PS (n = 14), BMS reduced the right ventricular (RV) to systemic pressure ratio (0.

Pulse Oximetry Screening in Germany-Historical Aspects and Future Perspectives.

In January 2017, pulse oximetry screening was legally implemented in routine neonatal care in Germany. The preceding developments, which were the prerequisite for this step, are described in the specific context of Germany's health care system. Continued evaluation of the method is imperative and may lead to modifications in the screening protocol, ideally in accordance with the efforts in other countries.

Lung Abscess as Delayed Manifestation of Pulmonary Arterial Narrowing After Sleeve Resection.

A patient who had undergone right upper bilobectomy because of a carcinoid experienced lung abscesses 17 months after operation. After recurrences, despite different antibiotic agents, dual-energy computed tomography showed subtotal stenosis of the right lower lobe pulmonary artery with marked pulmonary perfusion-reduction. Rare causes of lung-abscesses should be considered.

Emergency Covered Stent Implantation For Rupture Of A Pulmonary Vein After Balloon Angioplasty For Postinterventional Pulmonary Vein Stenosis.

Pulmonary vein (PV) stenosis is a known complication of PV isolation procedures for atrial fibrillation. We describe in this report a case of emergency covered stent implantation for rupture of a PV after balloon angioplasty for postinterventional PV stenosis occlusion. Focus is on stent implantation and on a novel aspect of magnetic resonance imaging for postprocedural outcome evaluation.

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.

Oral Everolimus for Treatment of a Giant Left Ventricular Rhabdomyoma in a Neonate-Rapid Tumor Regression Documented by Real Time 3D Echocardiography.

The presented case reports on successful treatment with everolimus in a neonate with left ventricular giant rhabdomyoma. The authors used a different dosage regime compared to literature and documented rapid tumor regression by 3D echocardiography.

Stent implantation of left main coronary artery stenosis in an infant: Effective long-term treatment?

Coronary artery stenosis is a rare phenomenon in children. Coronary stent implantation is generally not considered a standard treatment option due to technical difficulties and potential complications in this group of patients. Nevertheless, several pediatric cases reporting successful implantation with acceptable short-term experiences have been described.

Improved quality of life after treatment of prolonged asystole during breath holding spells with a cardiac pacemaker.

Objectives: To validate the physical and psychological effectiveness of cardiac pacing in pediatric patients with breath-holding spells (BHS) and prolonged asystole.

Materials And Methods: The records and clinical data of all the patients with BHS who presented to our center in the period of 2001-2013 were reviewed. All patients who received cardiac pacemaker implantation for prolonged asystole during BHS were included.

Performance of steroid eluting bipolar epicardial leads in pediatric and congenital heart disease patients: 15 years of single center experience.

Objective: Cardiac pacing is sometimes required for patients with congenital heart disease for various reasons. Because of complex anatomy, repetitive previous heart surgery and patient size, epicardial leads are of special importance in these patients. Using epicardial leads has been discussed controversly regarding pacing performance and lead survival.

Odd acoustic window and elongated ventricles: echocardiographic diagnosis of congenital absence of the pericardium.

A 14-year-old boy with a heart murmur was referred to the authors' department because structural heart disease could not be ruled out by standard echocardiographic views. The best apical four-chamber view was obtained with the patient turned to a right lateral decubitus position and the transducer shifted almost to the posterior axillary line. A biplane chest x-ray also showed a counterclockwise heart axis deviation.

Echocardiographic detection of coronary air embolism as the cause of cardiac arrest in a neonate with transposition of the great arteries.

A hemodynamically stable neonate with transposition of the great arteries suddenly went into cardiac arrest during preparation for transport to the operating room. Emergency echocardiography during cardiac massage detected coronary air embolism as the presumed cause of arrest. After about 15 minutes of resuscitation, it was possible to establish return of spontaneous circulation.

Effectiveness of neonatal pulse oximetry screening for detection of critical congenital heart disease in daily clinical routine--results from a prospective multicenter study.

Pulse oximetry screening (POS) has been proposed as an effective, noninvasive, inexpensive tool allowing earlier diagnosis of critical congenital heart disease (cCHD). Our aim was to test the hypothesis that POS can reduce the diagnostic gap in cCHD in daily clinical routine in the setting of tertiary, secondary and primary care centres. We conducted a prospective multicenter trial in Saxony, Germany.

Transcatheter aortic valve closure to treat severe aortic regurgitation in a patient failing stage I palliation for hypoplastic left heart syndrome.

We present a patient with borderline left ventricle, in whom significant aortic regurgitation after failed attempt of biventricular repair with balloon valvuloplasty and consecutive Norwood stage 1 procedure substantially contributed to persisting hemodynamic instability. Transcatheter closure of the aortic valve using an Amplatzer(R) septal occluder was performed and led to clinical stabilization. At medium-term follow-up, there was neither residual aortic regurgitation nor obstruction of the coronary artery origins.

Interventional closure of atrial septal defects with the Solysafe Septal Occluder--preliminary results in children.

Background: To report usability, safety, and efficacy of the self-centering Solysafe Septal Occluder for transcatheter closure of secundum type atrial septal defect (ASD) in paediatric patients.

Methods: Retrospective observational clinical study in two tertiary care centers for congenital heart diseases.

Patients: First 37 (median age 8.