The effects of percutaneous branch pulmonary artery interventions in biventricular congenital heart disease: study protocol for a randomized controlled Dutch multicenter interventional trial.

Background: Branch pulmonary artery (PA) stenosis is one of the most common indications for percutaneous interventions in patients with transposition of the great arteries (TGA), tetralogy of Fallot (ToF), and truncus arteriosus (TA). However, the effects of percutaneous branch PA interventions on exercise capacity remains largely unknown. In addition, there is no consensus about the optimal timing of the intervention for asymptomatic patients according to international guidelines.

The Diagnostics and Management of Bronchopulmonary Sequestration: An International Survey among Specialized Caregivers.

Background:  Our objective was to explore the treatment preferences for bronchopulmonary sequestration (BPS) among an international group of specialized caregivers.

Methods:  Sixty-three participants from 17 countries completed an online survey concerning the diagnostics, treatment, and follow-up. Recruitment took place among members of the Collaborative Neonatal Network for the first European Congenital Pulmonary Airway Malformation Trial Consortium and through the Association for European Pediatric and Congenital Cardiology working group database.

Combining Congenital Heart Surgical and Interventional Cardiology Outcome Data in a Single Database: The Development of a Patient-Centered Collaboration of the European Congenital Heart Surgeons Association (ECHSA) and the Association for European Paediatric and Congenital Cardiology (AEPC).

The European Congenital Heart Surgeons Association (ECHSA) Congenital Database (CD) is the second largest clinical pediatric and congenital cardiac surgical database in the world and the largest in Europe, where various smaller national or regional databases exist. Despite the dramatic increase in interventional cardiology procedures over recent years, only scattered national or regional databases of such procedures exist in Europe. Most importantly, no congenital cardiac database exists in the world that seamlessly combines both surgical and interventional cardiology data on an international level; therefore, the outcomes of surgical and interventional procedures performed on the same or similar patients cannot easily be tracked, assessed, and analyzed.

Combining Congenital Heart Surgical and Interventional Cardiology Outcome Data in a Single Database: The Development of a Patient-Centered Collaboration of the European Congenital Heart Surgeons Association (ECHSA) and the Association for European Paediatric and Congenital Cardiology (AEPC).

The European Congenital Heart Surgeons Association (ECHSA) Congenital Database (CD) is the second largest clinical pediatric and congenital cardiac surgical database in the world and the largest in Europe, where various smaller national or regional databases exist. Despite the dramatic increase in interventional cardiology procedures over recent years, only scattered national or regional databases of such procedures exist in Europe. Most importantly, no congenital cardiac database exists in the world that seamlessly combines both surgical and interventional cardiology data on an international level; therefore, the outcomes of surgical and interventional procedures performed on the same or similar patients cannot easily be tracked, assessed, and analyzed.

AEPC recommendations for training in interventional catheterisation for CHD.

To reflect new developments in imaging, indications, and techniques in catheterisation of patients with CHD, the training recommendations of the Association for European Paediatric and Congenital Cardiology (AEPC) for the training in interventional catheterisation for CHD have been reviewed and updated after more than 7 years. They include detailed information about knowledge, skills, and approach to clinical practice expected from trainees at basic, intermediate, and advanced level.

Interventional Closure of a Ruptured Sinus of Valsalva with a Konar-Multifunctional Device.

A 14-year-old girl with trisomy 13 presented with signs of respiratory failure. This was caused by the rupture of a sinus of Valsalva aneurysm into the right atrium. A Konar Multifunctional Occluder was used for closure.

Successful percutaneous closure of a recurrent aorto-left ventricular tunnel with an Amplatzer Vascular Plug II.

Aorto-left ventricular tunnel is an extremely rare CHD clinically impressing as aortic regurgitation. This is usually corrected surgically, sometimes by percutaneous catheter intervention. Recurrent aorto-left ventricular tunnel has been reported occasionally.

The First Evaluation of Remote Magnetic Navigation-Guided Pediatric Ventricular Arrhythmia Ablation.

Catheter ablation (CA) is an important treatment option for ventricular arrhythmias (VA) in pediatric cardiology. Currently, various CA techniques are available, including remote magnetic navigation (RMN)-guided radiofrequency (RF) ablation. However, no studies evaluate RMN-guided ablative therapy outcomes in children with VA yet.

"Absent" unilateral pulmonary arteries aren't absent, but disconnected. Review of the current literature based on 4 cases.

Background: Disconnected unilateral pulmonary arteries are frequently misdiagnosed as "absent". They typically arise from the base of the innominate artery and are fed by an aberrant arterial duct. If diagnosed early enough, they can be reconnected with catheter techniques even after closure of this aberrant duct.

Remote magnetic navigation shows superior long-term outcomes in pediatric atrioventricular (nodal) tachycardia ablation compared to manual radiofrequency and cryoablation.

Background: Catheter ablation (CA) is the first-choice treatment for tachyarrhythmia in children. Currently available CA techniques differ in mechanism of catheter navigation and energy sources. There are no large studies comparing long-term outcomes between available CA techniques in a pediatric population with atrioventricular reentry tachycardia (AVRT) or atrioventricular nodal reentry tachycardia (AVNRT) mechanisms.

A word on netting of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor therapy in hypoplastic left heart syndrome following stage-I.

NPC-QIC Registry data showed that angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors were described in almost 38% for patients with single ventricle physiology after stage-I Norwood palliation. However, mortality and ventricular dysfunction or atrioventricular valve insufficiency seems to be not improved by oral application of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors. The final conclusion was that despite limited evidence of benefit for patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, prescription of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors during interstage is still common.

Reconstruction of the Aortic Arch in Neonates and Infants: The Importance of Patch Material.

Objectives: Restenosis after aortic arch reconstruction is a known complication in neonates and infants. Homograft is the most commonly used patch material for aortic arch reconstructions in our center. Since 2014, tissue-engineered bovine pericardium (CardioCel) has been used as an alternative.

Stent compression during resuscitation of a neonate with complex heart disease: fatal outcome.

A newborn with hypoplastic left heart underwent a Norwood operation. Obstruction of the Blalock-Thomas-Taussig shunt was treated with a stent. During resuscitation, this was compressed, which contributed to a fatal outcome.

Cyanosis due to an isolated atrial septal defect: case report and review of the literature.

Isolated atrial defects usually lead to left-to-right shunt and right ventricular volume load. Descriptions of cyanosis with this congenital heart defect are rare.We describe a rare case of inferior caval vein flow directed through an atrial septal defect in the fossa ovalis leading to severe cyanosis, but without any additional intracardiac anatomical abnormalities.

A low threshold for neonatal intervention yields a high rate of biventricular outcomes in pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum.

Aims: Management strategies for pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum are variable and are based on right ventricular morphology and associated abnormalities. Catheter perforation of the pulmonary valve provides an alternative strategy to surgery in the neonatal period. We sought to assess the long-term outcome in terms of survival, re-intervention, and functional ventricular outcome in the setting of a 26-year single-centre experience of low threshold inclusion criteria for percutaneous valvotomy.

Indications for stenting of coarctation of the aorta in children under 3 months of age.

Introduction: Coarctation of the aorta in children under 3 months of age is usually treated surgically. However, there are clinical scenarios in which stenting of native or recurrent coarctation may become necessary in this age group.

Case Reports: Four cases illustrate possible indications: left ventricular dysfunction increasing the operative risk, thrombus formation after coarctation surgery, patient size (i.

Development of a Ductal Aneurysm in a Patient with Williams Syndrome, and Subsequent Interventional Closure.

Whilst stenosis of systemic and pulmonary arteries in Williams syndrome is frequently described, aneurysm formation is uncommon. We provide the first description of a Williams patient with development of an aneurysm of the arterial duct. This aneurysm developed concomitantly with supravalvar aortic, and peripheral pulmonary stenosis.

Gradient over Melody valve in left AV valve position reduces with beta blockade.

The Melody valve, designed for implantation into the pulmonary outflow tract, can also be used to treat the pathology of atrioventricular (AV) valves. Increasing gradients are seen as an indication for re-dilating the valve. Our case demonstrates the heart rate dependency of the gradient across a Melody implanted in the left AV valve position in an infant.

Transthoracic access for pulmonary artery stenting.

Pulmonary artery stenting may not be possible transcutaneously because of anatomic features. Although intraoperative stenting has been well described, we present a case in which stenting of the left pulmonary artery was performed transthoracically in a separate procedure. Unusual anatomic conditions may require a multi-disciplinary hybrid approach to achieve the desired results.

Dilating and fracturing side struts of open cell stents frequently used in pediatric cardiac interventions-An in vitro study.

Background: Open cell stents are frequently used in interventional therapy of congenital heart disease. Overstenting of vessel branches may necessitate strut dilation.

Methods And Results: The strut size achievable in Bard Valeo and Cook Formula stents, and the pressure necessary to fracture struts was assessed.