Early Outcomes for Management of Atrioventricular Septal Defect-Tetralogy of Fallot in the Last Decade: A Congenital Heart Surgeons' Society Study.

Background: We sought to determine the management and early outcomes of complete atrioventricular septal defect-tetralogy of Fallot (AVSD-TOF) for a contemporary multicenter cohort.

Methods: Of 739 participants in the Congenital Heart Surgeons' Society AVSD cohort (January 2012-May 2021), 40 had AVSD-TOF. We first compared survival differences for patients with AVSD-TOF versus those with isolated AVSD using propensity matching.

Cilia and Nodal Flow in Asymmetry: An Engineering Perspective.

Over the past several years, cilia in the primitive node have become recognized more and more for their contribution to development, and more specifically, for their role in axis determination. Although many of the mechanisms behind their influence remain undocumented, it is known that their presence and motion in the primitive node of developing embryos is the determinant of the left-right axis. Studies on cilial mechanics and nodal fluid dynamics have provided clues as to how this asymmetry mechanism works, and more importantly, have shown that direct manipulation of the flow field in the node can directly influence physiology.

Tailoring left ventricular assist device cannula implantation using coupled multi-scale multi-objective optimization.

Background: The frequent occurrence of thromboembolic cerebral events continues to limit the widespread implementation of Ventricular Assist Devices (VAD) despite continued advancements in VAD design and anti-coagulation treatments. Recent studies point to the optimal positioning of the outflow graft (OG) as a potential mitigator of post implantation thromboembolism.

Objective: This study aims to examine the tailoring of the OG implantation orientation with the goal of minimizing the number of thrombi reaching the cerebral vessels by means of a formal shape optimization scheme incorporated into a multi-scale hemodynamics analysis.

Invited Commentary: Notwithstanding the Significance of Anatomy in Anomalous Aortic Origin of a Coronary Artery, Physiology Is Important, Too.

The management strategies for anomalous aortic origin of a coronary artery (AAOCA) are based on anatomy, symptoms, and stress tests for evidence of ischemia. These strategies remain associated with low levels of evidence. Stress tests for ischemia or ventricular dysfunction, the only widely used physiological tests, are not adequately reliable.