Reconstruction of the aortic valve leaflet with autologous pulmonary artery wall.

Leaflet reconstruction outcomes in young patients can be compromised by treated autologous pericardium utilization. We present a new and simple unicuspid/unicommissural aortic valve repair technique with an autologous pulmonary artery wall graft. With comparative and longitudinal follow-up studies, this technique could constitute a living reconstruction of the aortic valve that does not preclude a future Ross procedure.

Long-term evolution of stents implanted in branch pulmonary arteries.

Background: Branch pulmonary artery stenosis complicates the management of congenital heart diseases. Surgical branch pulmonary artery angioplasty is associated with a high reintervention rate. As an alternative, percutaneous or intraoperative branch pulmonary artery stents have been implanted to improve efficiency, but long-term evaluations are limited.

Perforation of the atretic pulmonary valve using chronic total occlusion (CTO) wire and coronary microcatheter.

Background And Objective: Chronic total occlusion (CTO) guidewire have been recently reported as an alternative to radiofrequency for perforating atretic pulmonary valve. Since procedure failures or perforation of the right ventricle still occurred with CTO, we tried to enhance the stability, steering, and pushability of the wire using a microcatheter in order to improve the safety and efficacy of the procedure.

Methods: We performed pulmonary valve perforation with CTO guidewire and microcatheter in five consecutive newborns with pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum (PA-IVS) under fluoroscopic and echocardiographic control.

Auscultation While Standing: A Basic and Reliable Method to Rule Out a Pathologic Heart Murmur in Children.

Purpose: The distinction between physiologic (innocent) and pathologic (organic) heart murmurs is not always easy in routine practice, leading too often to unnecessary cardiology referrals and expensive investigations. We aimed to test the hypothesis that the complete disappearance of murmur on standing can exclude cardiac disease in children.

Methods: From January 2014 to January 2015, we prospectively included 194 consecutive children aged 2 to 18 years who were referred for heart murmur evaluation to pediatric cardiologists at 2 French medical centers.

Immediate and midterm results of balloon angioplasty for recurrent aortic coarctation in children aged<1 year.

Background: Several publications have considered results of percutaneous angioplasty for aortic recoarctation, but none focused on procedures performed in children aged<1 year.

Aims: To describe the immediate and midterm results of balloon angioplasty for recoarctation before the age of 1 year, and to define the factors that might influence outcome.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed data from 20 consecutive children undergoing percutaneous dilatation for aortic recoarctation before the age of 1 year in the University Hospitals of Tours and Nantes.

Intraoperative Stenting of Pulmonary Artery Stenosis in Children With Congenital Heart Disease.

Background: Branch pulmonary artery (BPA) stenosis is frequently associated with congenital heart disease. Management of BPA stenosis is challenging for surgeons due to a high rate of recurrence. The purpose of this study was to assess the results of intraoperative pulmonary artery stenting associated with or without surgical angioplasty.

Is Seprafilm valuable in infant cardiac redo procedures?

Background: Morbidity and mortality are higher for cardiac reoperations than first operation due to the presence of post-operative adhesions. We retrospectively evaluated the efficacy of the bioresorbable membrane Seprafilm to prevent pericardial adhesions after cardiac surgery in a paediatric congenital heart disease population.

Methods: Seventy-one children undergoing reoperations with sternotomy redo and cardiopulmonary bypass for congenital malformations were included.

Prenatal findings in carpenter syndrome and a novel mutation in RAB23.

Carpenter syndrome is caused by mutations of the RAB23 gene. To date, 12 distinct mutations have been identified among 34 patients from 26 unrelated families. We report on the prenatal findings in a fetus with Carpenter syndrome with a novel RAB23 mutation.