A Controversial Clinical Case of a Child With Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome.

We present the case of a child born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome. After developing multiple complications following the first surgical stage (Norwood procedure), her parents decide not to proceed with the second stage (Glenn operation). Cardiac surgeons, pediatric intensivists, a psychologist, and a bioethicist analyze whether further surgical intervention is ethically obligatory.

Magnetic resonance lymphangiography abnormalities as extracardiac biomarkers of pulmonary hypertension and functional phenotype in Fontan-Kreutzer univentricular circulation.

Introduction: Lymphatic abnormalities have been documented on magnetic resonance lymphangiography in patients with functionally univentricular circulation.

Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate associations between findings on magnetic resonance lymphangiography, cardiac catheterisation and functional phenotype in patients with Fontan-Kreutzer circulation.

Materials And Methods: Between January 2017 and October 2019, seven patients with Fontan-Kreutzer circulation (16.

Fifth "Jatene Lecture on Surgical Innovation": Innovation in Congenital Heart Surgery: Contributions From South America.

We present the fifth "Jatene Lecture on Surgical Innovation" on Innovation in Congenital Heart Surgery, given at the Eighth Scientific Meeting of the World Society for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery and Eighth World Congress of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery in Washington DC in 2023. We highlight what surgical innovation is and how innovation was accomplished in cardiac surgery and particularly in congenital heart surgery. A brief history of the development of congenital heart surgery across the world is summarized and we finally illustrate the South American contributions to congenital heart surgery, acknowledging the great innovations of Adib Jatene and Guillermo Kreutzer to our field.

Living to Tell the Tale: A First-Person Chronicle of the Development of the Fontan-Kreutzer Procedure.

The current surgical approach for patients with a single ventricle is the culmination of decades of dedicated research and groundbreaking innovation. From 1971 to the present day, a series of incremental advancements have significantly extended the life expectancy of these patients. Since the very beginning, Dr Guillermo Kreutzer and his team have pioneered different techniques with the ultimate goal of improving outcomes for these individuals.

Advocacy at the Eighth World Congress of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery.

The (WCPCCS) will be held in Washington DC, USA, from Saturday, 26 August, 2023 to Friday, 1 September, 2023, inclusive. The will be the largest and most comprehensive scientific meeting dedicated to paediatric and congenital cardiac care ever held. At the time of the writing of this manuscript, has 5,037 registered attendees (and rising) from 117 countries, a truly diverse and international faculty of over 925 individuals from 89 countries, over 2,000 individual abstracts and poster presenters from 101 countries, and a Best Abstract Competition featuring 153 oral abstracts from 34 countries.

Experiences of parents of children with hypoplastic left heart syndrome during their treatment: a qualitative study.

Aim: To investigate the opinion and personal experience of parents of children born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome and what advice they would give to other parents who have to decide between treatment options.

Methods: We conducted a qualitative, descriptive and retrospective study by means of a survey directed to parents of children born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome in a tertiary hospital in Buenos Aires (Argentina). Their answers and data regarding medical procedures were analysed.

Technical Aspects and Common Pitfalls of Norwood With Modified Blalock Taussig Shunt.

The Stage 1 Norwood procedure is the first of 3 stages in the surgical palliation of hypoplastic left heart syndrome and certain other single ventricle lesions with systemic outflow obstruction. In this article, we address some technical aspects and common pitfalls of the Norwood procedure with systemic to pulmonary shunt for HLHS palliation. We report our results with the Norwood with Blalock Taussig shunt in a cohort of 44 patients over a 7-year period in 2 institutions in Argentina.

On the Acceptance of "Fake" Histopathology: A Study on Frozen Sections Optimized with Deep Learning.

Background: The fast acquisition process of frozen sections allows surgeons to wait for histological findings during the interventions to base intrasurgical decisions on the outcome of the histology. Compared with paraffin sections, however, the quality of frozen sections is often strongly reduced, leading to a lower diagnostic accuracy. Deep neural networks are capable of modifying specific characteristics of digital histological images.

Protein losing enteropathy after the Fontan operation.

The Fontan or Fontan Kreutzer procedure is the culmination of staged, surgical palliation of functional single ventricle congenital heart disease, offering the potential for survival and good quality of life well into adulthood. As more patients with Fontan circulation age, a variety of complications involving almost every organ system may occur. Protein-losing enteropathy is a major cause of morbidity and mortality after the Fontan operation, occurring more often in patients with adverse hemodynamics and presenting weeks to years after Fontan surgery.

Enhancing Functional Recovery Through Intralesional Application of Extracellular Vesicles in a Rat Model of Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury.

Local inflammation plays a pivotal role in the process of secondary damage after spinal cord injury. We recently reported that acute intravenous application of extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted by human umbilical cord mesenchymal stromal cells dampens the induction of inflammatory processes following traumatic spinal cord injury. However, systemic application of EVs is associated with delayed delivery to the site of injury and the necessity for high doses to reach therapeutic levels locally.

Magnetic resonance lymphangiography in group 1 paediatric pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Pulmonary hypertension could have thoracic lymphatic abnormalities caused by right ventricular failure. Since there is no description of such abnormalities, the purpose of this study was to investigate them with magnetic resonance. Prospective review magnetic resonance T2-weighted lymphangiography was performed between January 2017 and October 2019 through quantitative thoracic duct diameter, diameter index and qualitative lymphatic abnormalities types: 1 - little or none abnormalities, 2 - abnormalities in supraclavicular region, 3 - abnormalities extending into the mediastinum and 4 - abnormalities extending into the lung.

Not just at school: Inclusion of children with autism spectrum disorder in a weight management program in a community pediatric setting.

Lay Abstract: Children diagnosed with autism are likely to be more overweight than children who do not have autism. There are many group programs that help children to be more physically active and improve their eating habits to achieve healthy weight, but most of these programs do not allow children with autism to participate. We studied a program that was specially adapted so children with autism could participate together with peers who do not have autism.

DCX neuronal progenitors contribute to new oligodendrocytes during remyelination in the hippocampus.

A pool of different types of neural progenitor cells resides in the adult hippocampus. Apart from doublecortin-expressing (DCX) neuronal progenitor cells (NPCs), the hippocampal parenchyma also contains oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs), which can differentiate into myelinating oligodendrocytes. It is not clear yet to what extent the functions of these different progenitor cell types overlap and how plastic these cells are in response to pathological processes.

CABG With Internal Thoracic Artery in Children With Congenital Heart Defects: A Good Option When It Is the Only One.

Objective: Coronary complications may present during or after repair of congenital heart defects. We report coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) by internal thoracic artery (ITA) grafts to either coronary artery in children with congenital anomalies.

Methods: Four cases who underwent CABG with ITA grafts from March 2016 to March 2020 were retrospectively reviewed.

Generation of myogenic progenitor cell-derived smooth muscle cells for sphincter regeneration.

Background: Degeneration of smooth muscles in sphincters can cause debilitating diseases such as fecal incontinence. Skeletal muscle-derived cells have been effectively used in clinics for the regeneration of the skeletal muscle sphincters, such as the external anal or urinary sphincter. However, little is known about the in vitro smooth muscle differentiation potential and in vivo regenerative potential of skeletal muscle-derived cells.

Lymphatic Decompression Concomitant With Fontan/Kreutzer Procedure: Early Experience.

Objective: To present a strategy for identifying patients at risk of lymphatic failure in the setting of planned Fontan/Kreutzer completion, allowing a tailored surgical approach.

Methods: Since January 2017, clinical evaluation before performance of the Fontan/Kreutzer procedure included T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) lymphangiography. Thoracic lymphatic abnormalities were categorized using a scale of I to IV according to progression of severity.

Extracellular Vesicles Can Deliver Anti-inflammatory and Anti-scarring Activities of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells After Spinal Cord Injury.

Spinal cord injury is characterized by initial neural tissue disruption that triggers secondary damage and extensive non-resolving inflammation, which aggravates loss of function and hinders recovery. The early onset of inflammation following traumatic spinal cord injury underscores the importance of acute intervention after the initial trauma. Injections of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) can reduce inflammation following spinal cord injury.

Functional Integration of Neuronal Precursors in the Adult Murine Piriform Cortex.

The extent of functional maturation and integration of nonproliferative neuronal precursors, becoming neurons in the adult murine piriform cortex, is largely unexplored. We thus questioned whether precursors eventually become equivalent to neighboring principal neurons or whether they represent a novel functional network element. Adult brain neuronal precursors and immature neurons (complex cells) were labeled in transgenic mice (DCX-DsRed and DCX-CreERT2 /flox-EGFP), and their cell fate was characterized with patch clamp experiments and morphometric analysis of axon initial segments.

Heparin Differentially Impacts Gene Expression of Stromal Cells from Various Tissues.

Pooled human platelet lysate (pHPL) is increasingly used as replacement of animal serum for manufacturing of stromal cell therapeutics. Porcine heparin is commonly applied to avoid clotting of pHPL-supplemented medium but the influence of heparin on cell behavior is still unclear. Aim of this study was to investigate cellular uptake of heparin by fluoresceinamine-labeling and its impact on expression of genes, proteins and function of human stromal cells derived from bone marrow (BM), umbilical cord (UC) and white adipose tissue (WAT).

Early functional connectivity deficits and progressive microstructural alterations in the TgF344-AD rat model of Alzheimer's Disease: A longitudinal MRI study.

The development and characterization of new improved animal models is pivotal in Alzheimer's Disease (AD) research, since valid models enable the identification of early pathological processes, which are often not accessible in patients, as well as subsequent target discovery and evaluation. The TgF344-AD rat model of AD, bearing mutant human amyloid precursor protein (APPswe) and Presenilin 1 (PSEN1ΔE9) genes, has been described to manifest the full spectrum of AD pathology similar to human AD, i.e.