AORTLANTIC: French registry of aortic valve-sparing root replacement, preliminary multicentre results from western France.

Objectives: Aortic root aneurysms often affect younger patients in whom valve-sparing surgery is challenging. Among current techniques, aortic valve-sparing root replacement described by Tirone David has shown encouraging results. The AORTLANTIC registry was instituted for a multicentre long-term evaluation of this procedure.

Eversion for Stabilization: A Standardized Technique for Pulmonary Autograft Inclusion.

We have developed a new technique avoiding autograft distortion and narrowing at inclusion during Ross procedure, in order to preserve the functional anatomy and the process of adaptation.

Reconstruction of the aortic valve leaflet with autologous pulmonary artery wall.

Leaflet reconstruction outcomes in young patients can be compromised by treated autologous pericardium utilization. We present a new and simple unicuspid/unicommissural aortic valve repair technique with an autologous pulmonary artery wall graft. With comparative and longitudinal follow-up studies, this technique could constitute a living reconstruction of the aortic valve that does not preclude a future Ross procedure.

Long-term evolution of stents implanted in branch pulmonary arteries.

Background: Branch pulmonary artery stenosis complicates the management of congenital heart diseases. Surgical branch pulmonary artery angioplasty is associated with a high reintervention rate. As an alternative, percutaneous or intraoperative branch pulmonary artery stents have been implanted to improve efficiency, but long-term evaluations are limited.

Immediate and midterm results of balloon angioplasty for recurrent aortic coarctation in children aged<1 year.

Background: Several publications have considered results of percutaneous angioplasty for aortic recoarctation, but none focused on procedures performed in children aged<1 year.

Aims: To describe the immediate and midterm results of balloon angioplasty for recoarctation before the age of 1 year, and to define the factors that might influence outcome.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed data from 20 consecutive children undergoing percutaneous dilatation for aortic recoarctation before the age of 1 year in the University Hospitals of Tours and Nantes.

Intraoperative Stenting of Pulmonary Artery Stenosis in Children With Congenital Heart Disease.

Background: Branch pulmonary artery (BPA) stenosis is frequently associated with congenital heart disease. Management of BPA stenosis is challenging for surgeons due to a high rate of recurrence. The purpose of this study was to assess the results of intraoperative pulmonary artery stenting associated with or without surgical angioplasty.

Unusual Outcome of a Right Ventricular Rhabdomyoma in an Infant.

Rhabdomyomas are the most common benign cardiac tumors. They may often be associated with tuberous sclerosis. In many cases, cardiac rhabdomyomas undergo spontaneous regression.

Is Seprafilm valuable in infant cardiac redo procedures?

Background: Morbidity and mortality are higher for cardiac reoperations than first operation due to the presence of post-operative adhesions. We retrospectively evaluated the efficacy of the bioresorbable membrane Seprafilm to prevent pericardial adhesions after cardiac surgery in a paediatric congenital heart disease population.

Methods: Seventy-one children undergoing reoperations with sternotomy redo and cardiopulmonary bypass for congenital malformations were included.

Myocardial contractile dysfunction is associated with impaired mitochondrial function and dynamics in type 2 diabetic but not in obese patients.

Background: Obesity and diabetes mellitus are independently associated with the development of heart failure. In this study, we determined the respective effects of obesity, insulin resistance, and diabetes mellitus on the intrinsic contraction and mitochondrial function of the human myocardium before the onset of cardiomyopathy.

Methods And Results: Right atrial myocardium was obtained from 141 consecutive patients presenting no sign of cardiomyopathy.

Technique to facilitate the native valve reimplantation during the david procedure.

The reimplantation technique for valve-sparing aortic root replacement is increasingly used to treat aortic root pathology. The systematic approach described by El Khoury in 2009 and modified in 2011 using the Valsava graft is simple and reproducible. However, in-conduit suturing of the aortic valve annulus and small rim of sinus remnant to the graft sinuses is time-consuming and may lead to bleeding or distortion of the prosthetic root.

To spare or not to spare…? The aortic valve in scleroderma and aortic root aneurysm.

Acute valve-sparing procedures are effective in the treatment of aortic root dilation when there is no valve pathology. In this review, we discuss the role of aortic valve-sparing procedures in the presence of connective tissue disorders such as scleroderma.

Human comparative experimental study of surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation by epicardial techniques.

Background: To set up an experimental model of cadaveric heart in order to evaluate and compare histologic transmurality of lesions immediately caused by different energy sources of anti-arrhythmic epicardial devices.

Methods: Procedures were performed on a cadaveric human heart in orthotopic position with an ischemic time of 48 h at 37° and supported through the use of cardiopulmonary bypass. Three anti-arrhythmic epicardial devices were studied: the bipolar forceps Cardioblate BP (Medtronic) for the radiofrequency, the Epicor Ultracinch LP Ablation device (St.

Staged procedure to prevent major adverse events in extensive aortic aneurysm repair.

Surgical management of extensive thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms is associated with high rates of mortality and morbidity, including spinal cord ischemia. We report a successful three-stage repair combining open and endovascular surgery in a patient presenting with an ascending, arch, and thoracoabdominal aneurysm. Spinal cord protective measures included a staged approach, preserved antegrade flow to the left subclavian and hypogastric arteries, absence of aortic cross-clamping, and aggressive perioperative hemodynamic monitoring.