Pulse oximetry screening for critical congenital heart defects.

Background: Health outcomes are improved when newborn babies with critical congenital heart defects (CCHDs) are detected before acute cardiovascular collapse. The main screening tests used to identify these babies include prenatal ultrasonography and postnatal clinical examination; however, even though both of these methods are available, a significant proportion of babies are still missed. Routine pulse oximetry has been reported as an additional screening test that can potentially improve detection of CCHD.

Applicability of a modified EFAST protocol (r-EFAST) to evaluate hemodynamically unstable patients after percutaneous cardiac intervention.

Percutaneous cardiac intervention is an invasive diagnostic and therapeutic technique which carries a significant complication rate. Although the usefulness of EFAST protocol is widely recognised, this paper will attempt to explore a modified approach involving a focused examination on the retroperitoneal (r-EFAST). We have provided examples of 3 cases where r-EFAST was used to detect retroperitoneal bleeding in critical situations.

Cardiorespiratory Function Does Not Improve 2 Years After Posterior Surgical Correction of Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis.

Study Design: A prospective evaluation of cardiorespiratory function following spinal fusion in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS).

Objective: To evaluate the cardiopulmonary function during exercise in patients with severe AIS, before and 2 years after undergoing a posterior spinal fusion.

Summary Of Background Data: After surgical correction of scoliosis, a greater cardiorespiratory adaptation to exercise would be expected from correction of the rib cage associated with the spine deformity.

[Absent right superior vena cava with left superior vena cava draining to an unroofed coronary sinus].

We describe the case of a 1-month-old infant with a complete atrioventricular septal defect with right dominance, situs solitus, and drainage from the persistent left superior vena cava to the coronary sinus. Corrective surgery was carried out without previous cardiac catheterization. During the operation, the right superior vena cava was found to be absent.

The clinical profile of Ebstein's malformation as seen from the fetus to the adult in 52 patients.

Ebstein's malformation of the tricuspid valve is a rare but complex congenital cardiac lesion characterised by a variable degree of dysplasia and displacement of the proximal attachments of its inferior and septal leaflets from the true atrioventricular junction. The aim of our retrospective study is to report the risk factors for mortality, and to determine the clinical profile as seen in 52 cases diagnosed in our service between 1978 and 2002, concentrating in particular on the outcome for the neonatal patient. There were 26 females and 26 males, and the age at presentation ranged from 30 weeks gestational age to 46 years.

[Percutaneous catheter closure of atrial septal defect. Short-term and mid-term results].

Introduction: Percutaneous closure of atrial septal defects (ASD) is becoming more frequent.

Patients And Method: From October 1997 to October 2002, 209 patients, age 0.4-70 (mean 19.

[Single-stage Fontan procedure: early and late outcome in 124 patients].

Introduction And Objectives: The Fontan procedure was designed to palliate complex congenital heart disease with univentricular physiology. A retrospective study was made to document the determinants of early (/= 31 days) mortality with the modified Fontan procedure performed in one-stage over a 22-year period.

Material And Methods: Between 1978 and 2000, 102 atriopulmonary, 16 cavopulmonary, and 6 Kawashima type anastomoses were performed to palliate complex congenital heart defects in 124 patients with a mean age of 7.