Fetal aortic valvuloplasty as the first step in a complex therapeutic strategy.

Background: Fetal aortic valvuloplasty (FAV) is proposed to prevent hypoplastic left heart syndrome due to fetal critical aortic stenosis.

Objective: to report our experience on FAV as the first step in a complex therapeutic strategy.

Method: Series of patients with FAV over an 18-year period.

Novel use of reverse double switch operation in failed left ventricular recruitment pathway.

In spite of great advances in staged left ventricle recruitment strategy, some patients do not achieve biventricular circulation nor are candidates for reversal to single-ventricle palliation. We present a case of a successful reverse double switch operation in a patient with failure of left ventricle recruitment and pulmonary hypertension. This strategy provided a one-and-a-half repair with a sub-pulmonary hypoplastic left ventricle that improved the patient's clinical status, becoming a novel alternative in this particular subset of patients.

Health related quality of life in children with congenital heart disease that undergo cardiac surgery during their first year of life.

Introduction: Advances in diagnostic methods, surgical techniques and postoperative intensive care have significantly increased the survival rates for children with congenital heart disease. In this context, long term sequelae acquired greater relevance. Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is a concept that helps to measure the impact of chronic diseases.

Anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from the pulmonary artery in an infant with a heart murmur: Case report.

The anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ARCAPA) is a rare entity that has an incidence of 0.002 % and can potentially cause sudden death. Unlike to the anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA), usually presented with myocardial ischemia and heart failure; the diagnosis of ARCAPA is often incidental during evaluation of a heart murmur.

[Loeys-Dietz Syndrome, 3 generations, 4 familial cases].

Loeys-Dietz Syndrome is an autosomal dominant disease with aortic aneurysms, arterial tortuosity with hypertelorism and bifid uvula. We describe four familial cases within three generations. The diagnosis, surgical management and followup will be addressed.