Noninvasive follow-up of complications after the Takeuchi operation.

Anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery is a rare lesion. Untreated, up to 90% of patients die before 1 year of age. The Takeuchi operation and direct coronary artery reimplantation have resulted in low mortality rates and excellent functional outcome.

[Severe accidental hypothermia with cardiac arrest and extracorporeal rewarming. A case report of a 2-year-old child].

In patients with severe hypothermia and cardiac arrest, active rewarming is recommended by extracorporeal circulation with cardiopulmonary bypass. The current guidelines for resuscitation of the European Resuscitation Council now include the recommendation regarding patients with hypothermia remaining comatose after initial resuscitation to accomplish an active rewarming only up to a temperature of 32-34 degrees C and to maintain a mild hypothermia for 12-24 h. We report the case of a 2-year-old boy who suffered from severe hypothermia after falling into ice-cold water.

Early cardiac perforation after atrial septal defect closure with the Amplatzer septal occluder.

We report a case of aortic perforation after transcatheter closure of an atrial septal defect by an Amplatzer septal occluder. During emergency surgery, perforations of the dome of the right atrium and the noncoronary sinus of Valsalva of the aorta were repaired. Atrial septal defect was primarily closed.

Ross-Konno procedure in neonates: report of three patients.

The Ross-Konno procedure, applied to neonates with severe left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction, offers a satisfactory solution in fully releasing the LVOT gradient, and in replacing the aortic valve with a pulmonary autograft with an excellent growth potential. We reported on three recent neonatal cases.

Ross and Ross-Konno procedure in children and adolescents: mid-term results.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to analyze mid-term results of aortic root replacement with pulmonary autograft in children and adolescents in two centers.

Methods: From December 1997 through August 2003, a total of 66 patients underwent the Ross procedure in two centers. Indication for Ross procedure was predominantly aortic stenosis in 24 patients and predominantly aortic regurgitation (AR) in 22 patients.

Biventricular repair of double outlet right ventricle with non-committed ventricular septal defect (VSD) by VSD rerouting to the pulmonary artery and arterial switch.

Objectives: Biventricular repair of double outlet right ventricle non-committed ventricular septal defect (DORVncVSD) is usually achieved by a VSD rerouting to the aorta. This technique can be limited by the presence of tricuspid chordae and by the pulmonary artery to tricuspid valve distance. Furthermore, there is an important risk of late subaortic obstruction related to the long patch required that creates a potential akinetic septal area.