Comparison between mitral valve repair and replacement in active infective endocarditis.

Background: Mitral valve repair has been proved to provide better outcomes when compared with replacement in degenerative disease. However, it is still unclear that benefits of repair still remain in active endocarditis. Patient clinical conditions and severity of tissue destruction might limit successful durable repair.

Factors influencing survival in patients after bidirectional Glenn shunt.

Clinical characteristics, echocardiographic values, and catheterization data of 45 patients with a functional univentricular heart who had a bidirectional Glenn shunt instituted between November 1994 and October 2006 were retrospectively reviewed. Median age at operation was 20 months (range, 9 months to 19 years). Median follow-up time after the bidirectional Glenn operation was 4 years (range, 1 day to 11 years).

A mediastinal mass resembling lymphoma: an unusual manifestation of probable case of invasive zygomycosis in an immunocompetent child.

A 2-year-old girl presented with prolonged fever and progressive dyspnea for 3 weeks. A chest radiograph revealed a left lung infiltrate and associated pleural effusion. Echocardiography revealed a large posterior mediastinal mass extending to the left atrial wall and massive pericardial effusion.

Primum atrial septal defect in children: early results, risk factors, and freedom from reoperation.

Background: Repair of primum atrial septal defect in children usually is associated with a low operative mortality, except for a subgroup of children with congestive heart failure. To determine the early mortality and incidence of reoperation in children with primum atrial septal defect, we analyzed retrospectively the results of patients who underwent repair of this defect.

Methods: Between July 1982 and December 1996, 180 children underwent repair of primum atrial septal defect.

The surgical treatment of atrial myxomas: clinical experience in 6 patients.

Six patients from 17 to 73 years of age (mean age 37.3 years) underwent excision of atrial myxomas between November 1990 and August 1994 at Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai. There were 4 females and 2 males.