Percutaneous Pulmonary Valve Implantation With Self-Expanding Valves for Carcinoid Heart Diseases.

Carcinoid heart disease is an important complication of neuroendocrine tumors that may lead to significant morbidity and mortality. Right-sided heart valve involvement with consequent valve dysfunction is one of the common manifestations. Patients often have multiple, significant comorbidities with advanced metastatic disease and, as such, may not be suitable for surgical valve replacement due to excessive risk.

30 Years' Experience in Percutaneous Pulmonary Artery Interventions in Transposition of the Great Arteries.

Background: Pulmonary artery (PA) stenosis is common after arterial switch operation (ASO) for transposition of the great arteries (TGA). Differences between balloon angioplasty (BA) and stents on right ventricular (RV) and PA pressures are not well studied.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to analyze percutaneous PA interventions' frequency after ASO, complications, and the effects of BA and stents on RV and PA pressures.

Congenital Heart Defects in Patients with Anorectal Malformations: A Retrospective Cohort Study of 281 Patients.

In patients born with anorectal malformations (ARM), additional congenital heart defects (CHD) can occur. We aimed to provide an overview on disease and treatment details of CHD identified in patients born with ARM, from a unique large cohort of a very rare disease. We performed a retrospective single-center cohort study between January 2000 and July 2023.

Balloon atrial septostomy for transposition of the great arteries: Safety and experience with the Z-5 balloon catheter.

Background: Balloon atrial septostomy (BAS) is an emergent and essential cardiac intervention to enhance intercirculatory mixing at atrial level in deoxygenated patients diagnosed with transposition of the great arteries (TGA) and restrictive foramen ovale. The recent recall of several BAS catheters and the changes in the European legal framework for medical devices (MDR 2017/745), has led to an overall scarcity of BAS catheters and raised questions about the use, safety, and experience of the remaining NuMED Z-5 BAS catheter.

Aims: To evaluate and describe the practice and safety of the Z-5 BAS catheter, and to compare it to the performance of other BAS catheters.

Additional Anomalies in Children with Gastroschisis and Omphalocele: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: Congenital abdominal wall defects might be associated with other anomalies, such as atresia in gastroschisis and cardiac anomalies in omphalocele patients. However, in the current literature, an overview of these additional anomalies and potential patient-specific risk factors is missing. Therefore, we aimed to assess the prevalence of associated anomalies and their patient-specific risk factors in patients with gastroschisis and omphalocele.

Cardiac anomalies in children with congenital duodenal obstruction: a systematic review with meta-analysis.

Background: Cardiac anomalies occur frequently in patients with congenital duodenal obstruction (DO). However, the exact occurrence and the type of associated anomalies remain unknown. Therefore, the aim of this systematic review is to aggregate the available literatures on cardiac anomalies in patients with DO.

The Importance of Screening for Additional Anomalies in Patients with Anorectal Malformations: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: In children with anorectal malformations (ARM), additional anomalies can occur within the VACTERL-association. Routine screening is of great importance for early identification and potential treatment. However, uniformity in screening protocols is lacking and only small cohorts have been described in literature.

The Incidence of Associated Anomalies in Children with Congenital Duodenal Obstruction-A Retrospective Cohort Study of 112 Patients.

Background: Duodenal obstruction (DO) is a congenital anomaly that is highly associated with other anomalies, such as cardiac anomalies and trisomy 21. However, an overview of additional anomalies and patient-specific risk factors for cardiac anomalies is lacking. Potential association with the vertebral, anorectal, cardiac, trachea-esophageal, renal and limb anomalies (VACTERL) spectrum remains unknown.

Ebstein anomaly associated with retinal venular dilatation, migraine, and visual snow syndrome: a case report.

Background: To present a case with Ebstein anomaly, a rare congenital heart disorder, with ophthalmological and neurophthalmological signs and symptoms. To date, retinal venous dilatation and visual snow syndrome have not been previously been published in this anomaly.

Case Presentation: A 10-year-old white girl was diagnosed with Ebstein anomaly.

[A girl with dyspnea and an enlarged liver].

Background: During winter, the influenza and Respiratory Syncytial Virus season, children are often seen in the emergency department with fever and respiratory symptoms.

Case Description: We describe the case of a 2-year-old girl with fever, dyspnea and signs of heart failure during physical examination. Echocardiogram showed a large amount of pericardial effusion with signs of cardiac tamponade.

Closing a Right Coronary Artery Fistula Draining Into the Coronary Sinus Using a Covered Stent in the Coronary Sinus.

This report describes the case of a symptomatic patient with a right coronary artery fistula draining into the coronary sinus who underwent transcatheter closure, which was deployed in the drainage site to seal off the exit of the fistula. ().

Midline crossing pulmonary vein: right upper lobe dual venous drainage, with partial anomalous venous return of the right lung into a persistent left superior vena cava.

Introduction: We present a case of dual drainage of the right upper lobe of the lung into the left atrium and via partial anomalous venous pulmonary return (PAPVR) into a persistent left superior vena cava (SVC).

Discussion: It is only in the minority of PAPVR cases where the anomalous pulmonary veins cross the midline. We provide a review of current literature on this topic and an explanatory embryological model.

Childhood onset nexilin dilated cardiomyopathy: A heterozygous and a homozygous case.

Pathogenic heterozygous NEXN variants are associated with progressive dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) usually presenting around 50 years of age. We describe an asymptomatic boy who had transient DCM at 3 months of age, that resolved by 4 months. Presently, at 11 years of age, he has normal cardiac function with signs of mild DCM on cardiac MRI.

Patient information portal for congenital aortic and pulmonary valve disease: a stepped-wedge cluster randomised trial.

Background: In response to an increased need for patient information in congenital heart disease, we previously developed an online, evidence-based information portal for patients with congenital aortic and pulmonary valve disease. To assess its effectiveness, a stepped-wedge cluster randomised trial was conducted.

Methods: Adult patients and caregivers of paediatric patients with congenital aortic and/or pulmonary valve disease and/or tetralogy of Fallot who visited the outpatient clinic at any of the four participating centres in the Netherlands between 1 March 2016-1 July 2017 were prospectively included.

Left ventricular ischemia after arterial switch procedure: Role of myocardial perfusion scintigraphy and cardiac CT.

Transposition of the great arteries is a congenital heart defect defined by an abnormal connection between the aorta, pulmonary artery, and the ventricles, resulting in parallel systemic and pulmonary circulations. Long-term follow-up data of patients who underwent correction via an arterial switch operation have recently shown that as a result of re-implantation of the coronary arteries in the neo-aorta, coronary stenosis and occlusion are relatively common complications. In this report, we discuss two cases illustrating the added value of myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) and cardiac CT for the assessment of these patients.

Atrial septal defect in adults is associated with airway hyperresponsiveness.

Objective: The association between secundum atrial septal defects (ASD) and asthma-like dyspnea with consequent long-term pulmonary inhalant use, is poorly understood in adult ASD patients. Airway hyperresponsiveness is suggested to be the underlying mechanism of cardiac asthma from mitral valve disease and ischemic cardiomyopathy. We hypothesized that airway hyperresponsiveness may also be found in adult ASD patients.

Infective Endocarditis After Melody Valve Implantation in the Pulmonary Position: A Systematic Review.

Background: Infective endocarditis (IE) after transcatheter pulmonary valve implantation (TPVI) in dysfunctioning right ventricular outflow tract conduits has evoked growing concerns. We aimed to investigate the incidence and the natural history of IE after TPVI with the Melody valve through a systematic review of published data.

Methods And Results: PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases were systematically searched for articles published until March 2017, reporting on IE after TPVI with the Melody valve.

Intravenous immunoglobulins in children with new onset dilated cardiomyopathy.

Background: Dilated cardiomyopathy is a rare but serious disorder in children. No effective diagnostic or treatment tools are readily available. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of intravenous immunoglobulins in children with new onset dilated cardiomyopathy.

Historical developments of atrial septal defect closure devices: what we learn from the past.

Introduction: Since King and Mills' pioneering work in percutaneous closure devices of secundum atrial septal defects (ASD) four decades ago, developments in device shape, material and implantation technique led to adoption of percutaneous ASD closure as current treatment of choice. Not only was the feasibility of such a percutaneous procedure tested altogether, but pursuing the ideal device in terms of safety and efficacy became priority.

Areas Covered: In this review we present the historical development of ASD devices in design, material and technique with clinical data, and provide the future perspectives in percutaneous ASD closures.