Left ventricular rotational mechanics in Tanzanian children with sickle cell disease.

Background: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a common inherited hemoglobinopathy. Adults with SCD manifest both systolic and diastolic cardiac dysfunction, though the age of onset of dysfunction has not been defined. Left ventricular (LV) rotational mechanics have not been studied in children with SCD.

Cardiac mechanics in patients with human immunodeficiency virus: a study of systolic myocardial deformation in children and young adults.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection causes dysfunction of different organ systems. Myocardial diastolic dysfunction has been reported previously in an adult HIV population. Our aim was to study myocardial strain in children and young adults infected by HIV who have apparently normal ejection fraction.

Quantitative real-time three-dimensional echocardiography provides new insight into the mechanisms of mitral valve regurgitation post-repair of atrioventricular septal defect.

Background: Mechanisms of mitral valve regurgitation after atrioventricular septal defect repair are unclear.

Methods: To gain further insight into mitral valve regurgitation, real-time three-dimensional echocardiography was performed in 53 patients after atrioventricular septal defect repair (30 partial and 23 complete) and 40 controls. Mitral valve {x, y, z} coordinates from the annulus, leaflet surface, papillary muscle, and chordal attachments were recorded.

Foetal atrial flutter management-the role of electrical cardioversion.

We report a successful electrical cardioversion of a foetal atrial flutter (AFL) immediately post delivery. We describe the diagnostic tools, assessment and the management antenatally. Then, we review the literature and discuss the debate about management.

Torsion of young hearts: a speckle tracking study of normal infants, children, and adolescents.

Aim: Our aim was to study the rotational mechanics of the heart in a special population including neonates, young children, and adolescents. We showed the effect of age on torsion and the different rotational variables. This study is the first that focuses on neonatal heart mechanics.

Normal rotational, torsion and untwisting data in children, adolescents and young adults.

Background: Left ventricular (LV) torsion and untwisting are important components of LV performance, but there is little information on the effect of age, particularly in younger populations.

Methods: LV rotation and LV rotation rate, torsion, recoiling, and untwisting were measured in normal subjects (n=111) aged 3 to 40 years (mean age, 19.3 years) using speckle-tracking imaging.

Total anomalous pulmonary venous drainage to coronary sinus combined with left-sided obstructive lesions: a previously unreported association.

We present a very rare cardiac lesion where we found a combination of abnormal pulmonary venous drainage and left-sided obstructive lesions. This case gives new insight into the complex malformation of the heart, raising questions about cardiac embryology and timing of interfering events. Here we describe the lesion for the first time and review the related literature.

Transposition of great arteries with constrictive ductus arteriosus revisited.

A case is presented of neonatal death despite prompt management of a baby diagnosed at 30 h of age with d-transposition of great arteries and intact ventricular septum, restrictive foramen ovale, and constrictive ductus arteriosus. The literature in this matter is reviewed and the poor prognosis of such cases despite rapid intervention is again emphasized.

A familial variant of the Scimitar syndrome with a meandering pulmonary vein.

We report a rare variant of the Scimitar syndrome, in which the right lower pulmonary vein takes a meandering course before finally connecting in normal fashion to the left atrium. The pulmonary parenchymal segment drained by the tortuous vein is supplied by a systemic collateral artery, which was coiled via a catheter. We also closed the intracardiac defects by surgery.