Intrapericardial teratoma in a premature neonate: pre-delivery diagnosis and successful surgical removal.

Intrapericardial teratoma is a rare cardiac tumour that is typically a lone, large, polycystic mass, in contact with the base of the heart and accompanied by pericardial effusion. In itself it is benign, but it can be potentially fatal because of pressure on the heart or great vessels. It is usually surgically removable.

Closure of a large patent ductus arteriosus in children and adults with pulmonary hypertension.

Introduction: Surgical closure of a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in cases with pulmonary hypertension, a short and wide PDA, and/or calcification of the wall of the vessel can be a hazardous procedure. The use of extracorporeal circulation provides the necessary safety for effective closure.

Methods: Four patients (one male), aged 7, 22, 54 and 60 years old, underwent PDA closure.

Telemetrically adjustable pulmonary artery banding: first application in Greece.

We describe the first application in Greece of a telemetrically adjustable device for pulmonary artery banding (FloWatch-PAB device) in a 2-month-old baby, weighing 3.6 kg, with congenital heart disease (complete atrioventricular septal defect with pulmonary hypertension). The surgical application of the device was easy, the postoperative course of the patient was smooth, and the telemetric regulation of the device was simple and effective.

Medium-term results from pulmonary autografts after the Ross procedure in children and adolescents.

Introduction: The Ross procedure is being used increasingly for the treatment of aortic valve problems in children, but the long-term prospects of the pulmonary autograft and its ability to grow continue to be controversial. This study summarises the experience of our centre from using the Ross procedure in children and adolescents.

Methods: During the period November 1996 to March 2004, 35 children aged 3 months to 18 years (mean 10.

Truncus arteriosus communis: early and midterm results of early primary repair.

Background: Repair of truncus arteriosus communis (TAC) in the neonatal and early infant period has become standard practice in many centers. We report our experience on early primary repair of TAC, with a focus on early and midterm results.

Methods: From July 1993 to December 2005, 29 patients with median age 28 days (range, 11 to 127), and median body weight 3.

Intra-aortic balloon pumping in children undergoing cardiac surgery: an update of the Liverpool experience.

Objective: Intra-aortic balloon pumping in children remains a rarity. We report our experience in supporting pediatric cardiac surgical patients with intra-aortic balloon pumping.

Methods: We reviewed the cases of 24 children supported with intra-aortic balloon pumping after cardiac surgery in our institution from 1994 through 2003.