[Double mitral valve orifice associated with complete atrioventricular canal. Description of 2 cases].

The Authors describe two cases of double mitral valve orifice associated with complete atrioventricular canal. The first patient, 10 month-old male, affected by type A complete atrioventricular canal, underwent surgical repair which was performed in association with division of the tissue bridge between the two orifices. The patient died the day after because of severe mitral insufficiency and pulmonary oedema.

[Left ventricular fibroma in childhood: 2-dimensional echocardiographic diagnosis and surgical treatment. Description of a case].

We describe the case of a patient 4 months old transferred to our hospital for evaluation of occasionally detected cardiac alterations: ecg showed abnormal Q and negative T waves in D1 - aVL leads and chest x-ray was consistent with enlargement of the left ventricular cavity. After admission, 2D echocardiographic examination disclosed, in the left ventricular cavity, a large mass extending from the papillary muscles to the outflow tract. The mass was of uniform density and easily recognizable as a tumor.

[Deep hypothermia and cardiocirculatory arrest with the technic of central cooling in patients with simple transposition of the great arteries].

The deep hypothermia and cardiocirculatory arrest are employed mainly for two reasons; to reduce as much as possible the extra corporeal circulation time in patients more suitable to present the deleterious effects of the by-pass circulation, and to have surgical field completely free from the blood, making easier some surgical procedures. In the classic description of Hykasa the deep hypothermia necessary to have a safe cardiocirculatory arrest is obtained by means of surface cooling and an extracorporeal heat exchanger. In our experience deep hypothermia and cardiocirculatory arrest were achieved only by means of core cooling technique; 64 patients with TGA weighing less than 10 kg were operated upon by this method with a mortality rate of 3.

[Cardiosurgical intervention in extracorporeal circulation and intellectual performance in childhood. Study and follow-up of 20 cases].

6 and 12 months before and after surgery in E.C.C.

[Current status of Senning's physiologic correction of transposition of the great vessels. Personal experience].

From January 1978 to December 1985, 70 children affected by TGA have been operated with the Senning operation. Among the 70 cases, 64 were simple TGA and 6 were TGA + VSD. The mean age at operation was 6 months (range 2 day - 3 years).

[Bidimensional echocardiographic diagnosis of the pulmonary valve agenesis syndrome in the newborn infant. Description of 2 cases].

We describe the cases of two neonates affected by the syndrome of pulmonary valve agenesis, in whom non-invasive diagnosis was possible by two dimensional echocardiography. The echocardiographic features we describe are the following: enlargement of the right ventricle in association with ventricular septal defect, malalignment type, dilatation of the right ventricular outflow tract, massive dilation of the main and branch pulmonary arteries, annular pulmonary stenosis. At the expected site of the pulmonary valve two ridges were seen, which did not have the typical motion of a fully developed valve.

[Echocardiographic aspects of persistence of the right valve of the venous sinus].

The aim of this work is to demonstrate the possibility to identify persistent right sinus venous valve and to differentiate it from other right sided heart pathology by two dimensional echocardiography. We report the echocardiographic findings observed in three out of 215 paediatric patients we examined for clinically suspected congenital heart disease in 12 months period. The first patient was a 24 hours old newborn with transient pulmonary hypertension; the second one was a 6 months old child with pulmonary atresia, severe right ventricular hypertrophy, atrial septal defect and patent ductus arteriosus; the third patient, aged 6 months, had atrial septal defect and mild pulmonary stenosis.

[Trans-atrial correction of ventricular septal defects in infancy and childhood (author's transl)].

The Authors reviewed their surgical experience in correction of ventricular septal defects through tricuspid valve. 57 patients out of 59 operated for surgical closure of V.S.

[Myocardial protection during repair of congenital heart disease in infants (author's transl)].

The authors use the Bretschneider's cardioplegic solution at 4 degrees C as myocardial preservation in 45 open-heart cases in infants. Using moderate hypothermia at 28 degrees C, the mean myocardial temperature is 17.2 degrees C, using profound hypothermia at 18 degrees C, the mean myocardial temperature is 11.

[Clinical use of a minicomputer in heart surgery intensive care units].

The Authors present three respiratory parameters useful to estimate the respiratory and hemodynamic conditions of a cardiac patients before these turn into obvious pathological clinical pictures. The parameters are: alveolar-arterial oxygen difference, respiratory index and arterial-venous pulmonary shunts. The sophisticated mathematic calculations necessary to calculate and to elaborate such data are made, in few seconds, by a minicomputer which is very easy to work with.

[Congenital mitral valve malformations. Anatomical lesions and surgical treatment in paediatric age (author's transl)].

Congenital mitral valve malformations are diverse. When they present clinically in infancy medical treatment is often ineffective. Mitral valve replacement with prosthesis in children carries an high operative and postoperative risk.