Use of ivabradine in children with junctional ectopic tachycardia after pediatric cardiac surgery; two-centre experience.

Introduction: Although amiodarone is traditionally used in the treatment of postoperative junctional ectopic tachycardia (JET), the search for new treatments is ongoing. We present our experience with ivabradine at two medical centers.

Materials And Methods: Between January 2022 and January 2023, patients who developed JET after pediatric cardiac surgery were prospectively followed up and documented.

Permanent pacemaker implantation with hybrid endocardial perventricular approach in infancy: May be an alternative route in the absence of epicardial lead.

Despite the advancements in technology, establishing the optimal implantation technique for pediatric patients with a pacemaker (PM) indication remains challenging. Although the implantation of an epicardial PM is recommended, especially in children weighing less than 10 kg, transventricular placement of endocardial leads can be performed safely, offering a practical substitute for an epicardial pacing system, particularly in situations where a transvenous approach is unfeasible due to patient size, anatomical constraints or epicardial PM leads were not available as in our case.

Comparison of the effects of conventional method and primary sutureless techniques on early postoperative rhythm problems in patients with total abnormal pulmonary venous return anomaly.

Background: Total abnormal pulmonary venous return anomaly is a CHD characterised by abnormal pulmonary venous flow directed to the right atrium. In this study, we aimed to compare the effects of these techniques on early rhythm problems in total abnormal pulmonary venous return anomaly cases operated with conventional or primary sutureless techniques.

Method: Seventy consecutive cases (median age 1 month, median weight 4 kg) who underwent total abnormal pulmonary venous return anomaly repair with conventional or primary sutureless technique between May 1 2020 and May 1 2022 were evaluated.

The comparison of three different acute kidney injury classification systems after congenital heart surgery.

Background: We aimed to compare the frequency of acute kidney injury (AKI) and its effects on mortality and morbidity with different classification systems in pediatric patients who had surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass for congenital heart disease.

Methods: This study included children younger than 18 years old who were followed up in the pediatric cardiac intensive care unit between September 1 and December 1, 2020, after congenital heart surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. Each case was categorized postoperatively in terms of AKI using Pediatric-Modified Risk, Injury, Failure, Loss, and End-Stage (pRIFLE), Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN), and Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO).

Electrocardiographic and electrophysiological characteristics of fasciculoventricular fibers in children.

Objectives: Fasciculoventricular fiber (FVF) that does not cause tachyarrhythmia is a rare form of ventricular preexcitation, which is important to distinguish from Kent fibers. Although, adenosine and some electrocardiographic features are important in the differentiation of Wolff Parkinson White (WPW) than FVF, a clear distinction may not always be possible without an electrophysiological study (EPS). In this study, we aimed to present the clinical and electrophysiological features of our pediatric patients with fasciculoventricular fiber.

Catheter ablation of focal atrial tachycardia in children using three-dimensional electroanatomic mapping system: a 6-year single-centre experience.

Objective: This study demonstrates the clinical and electrophysiological details of catheter ablation conducted in children with focal atrial tachycardia using three-dimensional electroanatomic mapping systems.

Patients And Methods: Electrophysiological procedures were performed using the EnSite™ system.

Results: Between 2014 and 2020, 60 children (median age 12.

Cryoablation with an 8-mm tip catheter for typical AVNRT in children: a single center 5-year experience.

Background: In children with typical atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (tAVNRT), cryoablation is preferred over radiofrequency ablation (RFA) because of its safety profile and acceptable long-term success rates. In this study, we have assessed the utility of 8-mm tip cryocatheters for tAVNRT ablation in our center.

Methods: All pediatric AVNRT patients who underwent cryoablation with an 8-mm tip cryocatheter in our center between 2013 and 2018 were included.

Aortic cusp ablation for premature ventricular contractions and ventricular tachycardia in children: a 5-year single-center experience.

Purpose: Aortic cusps might be the source of supraventricular or ventricular arrhythmias. For many years, aortic cusp ablation has been widely used to treat premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) and ventricular tachycardia (VT). However, the data on the outcomes of this procedure in children are limited.

Mites of the family Pachylaelapidae in Bayburt Province, Turkey (Acari: Mesostigmata), with a new record and three new species.

This paper reports on mites of the family Pachylaelapidae collected in Bayburt Province, Turkey, during 2013-2015. Nine species were recorded in the genera Pachyseius, Olopachys, Pachylaelaps, and Onchodellus. Pachylaelaps (Longipachylaelaps) bayburtensis sp.

The Transjugular Approach: An Alternative Route to Improve Ablation Success in Right Anteriorly and Anterolaterally-Located Supraventricular Tachycardia Substrates in Children.

Catheter ablation via the femoral vein has been widely used in children. However, in certain conditions, an alternative vascular access is required for a successful ablation. Herein we reported that, accessory pathways (APs) and ectopic foci which reside right anterior and anterolateral to tricuspid valve orifice can be safely and effectively ablated with transjugular venous approach.

Biological Variation and Reference Change Value Data for Serum Neuron-Specific Enolase in a Turkish Population.

Background: Neuron-specific enolase (NSE) is a recognized biomarker for the assessment of cerebral injury in neurological disorders. This study aims to report a definitive assessment of the biological variation (BV) components of this biomarker, including within-subject BV (CVI), between-subject BV (CVG), index of individuality (II), and reference change value (RCV), in a cohort of Turkish participants using an experimental protocol.

Methods: Six blood specimens were collected from each of the 13 apparently healthy volunteers (seven women, six men; ranging in age from 23 to 36) on the same day, every 2 weeks for 2 months.

Biological variations of some analytes in renal posttransplant patients: a different way to assess routine parameters.

Background: Biological variation (BV) data of analytes have been used to evaluate the significant changes in serial results (reference change value, RCV) of healthy individuals in clinical laboratories. However, BV data of healthy subjects may not be identical to the analytes of patients with ongoing clinical condition. The aim of this study was to calculate intra-(CVw) (coefficient of variation for intra-individual BV) and inter-individual (CVg) BV, index of individuality, and RCV of nine serum analytes of renal posttransplant patients.

Atrial-based pacing has no benefit over ventricular pacing in preventing atrial arrhythmias in adults with congenital heart disease.

Aims: To determine whether atrial-based pacing prevents atrial arrhythmias in adults with congenital heart disease (CHD) compared with ventricular pacing.

Methods And Results: All adult CHD patients from four participating centres with a permanent pacemaker were identified. Patients with permanent atrial arrhythmias at pacemaker implantation and patients who received a pacemaker for treatment of drug-refractory atrial arrhythmias were excluded.

Complications of pacemaker therapy in adults with congenital heart disease: a multicenter study.

Background: This study aims to investigate indications and complications of permanent cardiac pacing in adults with congenital heart disease (CHD).

Methods And Results: Two-hundred and seventy-four CHD patients were identified who underwent permanent pacemaker implantation between 1972 and 2009. The indication for pacing was acquired sinus node or AV node conduction disease (63%), sinus node or AV node conduction disease after cardiac surgery (28%), and drug/arrhythmia-related indications (9%).

Evaluation of KIR genes in recurrent miscarriage.

Purpose: Natural killer (NK) cells express killer immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) which recognize HLA class I molecules on trophoblasts. KIRs could either activate NK cells or inhibit them to produce soluble factors necessary for the maintenance of pregnancy, thus they are suspected of being involved in the causes of recurrent miscarriage. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether there is any possible association between KIR genes, genotypes and recurrent miscarriage.