Protein-losing enteropathy after Fontan operation.

Generalized edema resulting from severe protein-losing enteropathy occurred in three patients 12, 15, and 17 months after the Fontan operation. One patient originally had tricuspid atresia and the other two, univentricular heart disease. At operation a conduit had been inserted between the right atrium and pulmonary artery.

Rectal 13N-ammonia test (13N-liver/heart ratio), hepatic sinusoidal pressure and prevailing portal flow direction in cirrhosis of the liver.

The 20 minutes' liver/heart activity ratio after rectal administration of 13N-ammonia was abnormally low (less than 2.25) in 12 of 26 patients with cirrhosis of the liver. An abnormal conventional rectal arterial ammonia test (porta-systemic shunts), an abnormally low urea index (prevailing hepatofugal portal venous flow direction), marked portal hypertension (hepatic sinusoidal pressure greater than or equal to 8 mm Hg), ascites and extreme enlargement of the spleen occurred significantly more often in the patients with an abnormally low 13N-liver/heart ratio than in those with a ratio greater than or equal to 2.

Value of systolic time intervals in assessing severity of congenital aortic stenosis in children.

Simultaneous recordings have been made of electrocardiogram, phonocardiogram, carotid pulse tracing, left ventricular pressure, and aortic pressure in 27 children with aortic valve stenosis and 3 children with membranous subaortic stenosis. Peak systolic pressure difference ranged from 10 to 110 mmHg (1.3 to 14.