Narrative review of assessing the surgical options for double outlet right ventricle.

The individualized surgical approach in individuals with both arterial trunks arising from the morphologically right ventricle is dictated by the extreme morphological variability encountered in this setting, with each patient being unique. An individualized surgical approach has been designed to take account of the morphological variations, identifying the anatomy with the preoperative three-dimensional CT scan reconstruction. The key features have been considered the distance between tricuspid and pulmonary valves, the size and location of the interventricular communication, and the relationship between the outflow tracts.

Making the decision to donate eyes: Perspectives from the families of the deceased in Madurai, India.

Purpose: To identify factors affecting family members' decision whether to donate eye organs.

Methods: A community-based case-control study based on in-home interviews with families of deceased individuals who had or had not donated eye organs, in Madurai district, Tamil Nadu, India. Data collected were knowledge and awareness of eye donations, whether the deceased individual had expressed or pledged willingness to donate, and family members' attitudes and willingness to donate their own eye organs.

Aorto-Right Ventricular Tunnel in Transposition of the Great Arteries.

Aorto-ventricular tunnel is an extremely rare congenital heart defect, consisting of failure of attachment of an aortic leaflet along the semilunar hinge. In all published reports the leaflet involved was either the right coronary leaflet, most frequently, or the left coronary leaflet, in most of the cases opening toward the left ventricle, with only one-eighth of the reported cases communicating with the right ventricle. Treatment of the aorto-ventricular tunnel has been anecdotally reported by interventional closure with a device and more frequently with surgical approach, either as an isolated malformation or as associated lesions.

Timely Pulmonary Valve Replacement May Allow Preservation of Left Ventricular Circumferential Strain in Patients with Tetralogy of Fallot.

Introduction: Patients with Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) and pulmonary insufficiency and a dilated right ventricle (RV) may suffer from a reduction in left ventricular (LV) performance. It is not clear whether timely pulmonary valve replacement (PVR) preserves LV mechanics.

Methods: Ten TOF patients who underwent PVR were identified from hospital records, and pre- and postoperative cardiac magnetic resonance images were post-processed with a semi-automatic tissue tracking software.

Virtual 3D Modeling of Airways in Congenital Heart Defects.

The involvement of the airway is not uncommon in the presence of complex cardiovascular malformations. In these cases, a careful inspection of the relationship between the airway and the vasculature is paramount to plan the surgical procedure. Three-dimensional printing enhanced the visualization of the cardiovascular structure.