Device closure of patent ductus arteriosus: optimal guidance by transaortic phased-array imaging.

In many institutions, device closure of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in adult patients is only performed once to twice per year. This report describes an interventional PDA closure procedure being effectively assisted by transaortic phased-array imaging, also known as intracardiac echocardiography (ICE). This way, well-known advantages of ICE as are lowering of radiation exposure and fluoroscopy time can potentially be transferred to PDA device closure.

Long-term follow-up of a fenestrated Amplatzer atrial septal occluder in pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive disease, with right-heart failure being the main cause of death. In patients refractory to conventional drug therapy, atrial septostomy can serve as palliative treatment or as a bridge to transplantation. A 41-year-old woman with a 15-year history of PAH associated with a corrected atrial septal defect presented with severe deterioration of symptoms.

Configuration of the ascending aorta in patients with bicuspid and tricuspid aortic valve disease undergoing aortic valve replacement with or without reduction aortoplasty.

Background And Aim Of The Study: Patients with bicuspid aortic valves (BAV) tend to develop dilatation of the ascending aorta. The study aim was to analyze differences in aortic root diameter and configuration in patients with bicuspid and tricuspid aortic valve disease.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted of the angiographies of 461 patients allocated to four groups with: (i) BAV disease with (n = 179) and (ii) without (n = 78) dilatation of the ascending aorta; (iii) tricuspid aortic valve disease (TAV) and dilatation of the ascending aorta (n = 154); and (iv) coronary artery disease (CAD), TAV and normal diameter of the ascending aorta (n=50).