Evaluation of the diagnostic and prognostic potential of optical coherence tomography (OCT) of the pulmonary arteries during standardised right heart catheterisation in patients with pulmonary hypertension: a cross-sectional single-centre experience.

Background: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is diagnosed based on an invasive evaluation of the mean pulmonary artery (PA) pressure. The morphological assessment of the pulmonary arteries was only recently not feasible. With the advent of optical coherence tomography (OCT)-imaging, an accessible tool allows to study PA morphology longitudinally.

Motor outcome, executive functioning, and health-related quality of life of children, adolescents, and young adults after ventricular assist device and heart transplantation.

Objective: The aim of the current study is to measure long-term executive function, motor outcome, and QoL in children, adolescents, and young adults after VAD and Htx.

Methods: Patients were examined during routine follow-up. Investigation tools were used as follows: Examination for MND of motor outcomes, Epitrack for attention and executive functioning, and Kidscreen-52 and EQ-5D-5L questionnaires for QoL.

The risk of infective endocarditis following interventional pulmonary valve implantation: A meta-analysis.

Background: Interventional percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation (PPVI) was first reported in 2000. Today, two different valves are certified for this procedure [i.e.

The Creation of an Interatrial Right-To-Left Shunt in Patients with Severe, Irreversible Pulmonary Hypertension: Rationale, Devices, Outcomes.

Purpose Of The Review: Targeted pharmacotherapies did improve survival rates, exercise capacity, and quality of life (QoL) of PAH patients. However, these pharmacological interventions are expensive and not always accessible. In addition, not all patients do respond similarly to these medications and many will continue to deteriorate.

Creation of a defined and stable Fontan fenestration with the new Occlutech Atrial Flow Regulator (AFR®).

This report describes the first clinical experience with the new Occlutech Atrial Flow Regulator (AFR®) device for implementation of a late Fontan fenestration. The AFR® device secured a defined diameter of the fenestration without spontaneous re-occlusion of this extra-anatomic perforation. This ensured a permanent clinical improvement of our failing Fontan patient.