The incidence of recurrent laryngeal nerve injury resulting in vocal cord paralysis following interventional congenital catheterisation procedures.

Background: Recurrent laryngeal nerve injury leading to vocal cord paralysis is a known complication of cardiothoracic surgery. Its occurrence during interventional catheterisation procedures has been documented in case reports, but there have been no studies to determine an incidence.

Objective: To establish the incidence of left recurrent laryngeal nerve injury leading to vocal cord paralysis after left pulmonary artery stenting, patent ductus arteriosus device closure and the combination of the procedures either consecutively or simultaneously.

Transcarotid balloon valvuloplasty in neonates and small infants with critical aortic valve stenosis utilizing continuous transesophageal echocardiographic guidance: A 22 year single center experience from the cath lab to the bedside.

Objective: Utilization of continuous transesophageal echocardiographic guidance (cTEE) during transcarotid balloon valvuloplasty (TCBV) in neonates and small infants with critical aortic valve stenosis (AS) allows for continuous hemodynamic assessment and improved outcomes.

Background: Preferred method of intervention for critical AS remains controversial due to conflicting results.

Methods: Since 1992, 30 neonates and small infants with critical AS and adequate left ventricular (LV) volumes underwent TCBV with cTEE.

Device closure of patent ductus arteriosus in Marfan patients: safety and effect on the aortic root diameter.

Objectives: There is little evidence in the medical literature about safety of PDA device closure and its effects on aortic root diameter in Marfan patients. We reported on nine Marfan patients whose ducts were occluded by coil or Amplatzer Duct Occluder.

Patients And Interventions: Two patients had aneurismal type E ducts which were closed by a single coil, respectively.

Stenting of aortic coarctation: acute, intermediate, and long-term results of a prospective multi-institutional registry--Congenital Cardiovascular Interventional Study Consortium (CCISC).

Introduction: Since the 1980s, stent implantation has evolved as an important therapeutic strategy for coarctation of the aorta. However, available data is frequently flawed by short follow-up, lack of adequate follow-up imaging, and retrospective nature of data collection.

Methods: Data was prospectively collected using a multicenter registry congenital cardiovascular interventional study consortium (CCISC).

Transcatheter occlusion of an azygous vein aneurysm.

We describe the use of multiple Amplatzer vascular plugs which were intentionally placed so as to isolate a large azygous vein aneurysm with intraluminal thrombosis, which had resulted in a previous pulmonary embolus. This technique avoided the need for an invasive thoracotomy and aneurysm resection or attempting to directly fill the large aneurysm with numerous and various embolization devices.

Resolution of heart block after surgical removal of an amplatzer device.

A large secundum atrial septal defect in a 4-year-old child was closed by percutaneous placement of an Amplatzer septal occluder (AGA Medical Corporation, Plymouth, MN). After device placement, complete heart block developed that did not resolve after 3 days of medical management. The patient subsequently underwent surgical removal of the device and suture closure of the atrial septal defect.

Atrioventricular block after transcatheter ASD closure using the Amplatzer septal occluder: risk factors and recommendations.

Transcatheter device closure of atrial septal defects is now considered an alternative option to open heart surgery with good short-term and long-term results (Du et al., J Am Coll Cardiol 2002;39:1836-1844, Chessa et al., J Am Coll Cardiol 2002;39:1061-1065); in comparison with surgical closure, the complication rate is lower (Du et al.

Endovascular stenting for native coarctation of the aorta is an effective alternative to surgical intervention in older children.

Objective: Assess the early and intermediate results with respect to blood pressure control in older children undergoing endovascular stenting for native coarctation of the aorta.

Design: Eleven hypertensive patients (10 +/- 3 years of age) underwent endovascular stenting via standard techniques for native coarctation of the aorta as an alternative to surgical repair. Resting and exercise assessment of blood pressure control with Doppler echocardiography was performed pre- and poststenting.

Quantitative assessment of pulmonary insufficiency by Doppler echocardiography in patients with adult congenital heart disease.

We determined the utility of continuous wave (CW) Doppler for quantification of pulmonary insufficiency (PI) confirmed by pulmonary angiography in patients with postoperative adult congenital heart disease. A total of 41 patients with PI were divided into two groups on the basis of PI severity by pulmonary angiography: group A (n = 27) with severe PI and group B (n = 14) with mild or moderate PI. Nine patients in group A had pulmonic valve replacement and reverted to mild PI after surgery.

Catheter management of aortic valve stenosis in neonates and children.

Therapy for severe aortic valve stenosis in infants and children has shifted from the operating suite to the catheterization laboratory and even to the bedside as a direct result of improved catheter technology, evolving techniques, and comparable results to conventional surgical intervention. This review summarizes the brief history pertaining to the various techniques and outcomes of transcatheter balloon valvuloplasty in infants and children with critical or severe aortic valve stenosis.

An experience suggesting an expanded role for the excimer laser catheter in neonates with obstructive lesions in the heart.

I have previously reported the successful use of the 0.9 millimetre excimer laser catheter in 2 neonates with pulmonary valvar atresia and intact ventricular septum. In this report, I describe the expanded role of the excimer laser in a premature infant weighing 1.

Initial and late results after catheter intervention for neonatal critical pulmonary valve stenosis and atresia with intact ventricular septum: a technique in continual evolution.

Critical pulmonary valve stenosis or atresia with intact ventricular septum is a rare congenital cardiac defect that can be technically difficult to alleviate in the catheterization laboratory. Over the past 10 years, several techniques and modifications with variable results have been advocated to facilitate the valvuloplasty procedure. This report describes a single operator's experience using various techniques in 28 neonates with critical pulmonary stenosis or atresia who were considered candidates for transcatheter intervention.