Pulmonary blood flow in children with univentricular heart and unilateral diaphragmatic paralysis.

Objectives: Spontaneous breathing has an important effect on pulmonary arterial blood flow in patients with Glenn/Fontan circulation. Unilateral diaphragmatic paralysis (DP) is a frequent complication after heart surgery in congenital heart disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of unilateral DP on blood flow distribution in the pulmonary arteries with Glenn/Fontan circulation.

Stenting of Native Right Ventricular Outflow Tract Obstructions in Symptomatic Infants.

Objective: To assess feasibility, safety and effectiveness of right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) stenting in symptomatic young infants.

Methods: Multicentre evaluation of 35 patients intended to undergo RVOT stenting in 11 pediatric cardiac centres from 2009 to August 2011.

Results: Median age and weight at the time of first stent implantation were 8 weeks and 3.

Telemonitoring with implantable electronic devices in young patients with congenital heart diseases.

Aims: In paediatric patients with a pacemaker (PM) or an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) device, interrogation during in-clinic visits is usually required to obtain information on arrhythmias or system failures. An automated telemonitoring system tracking patient- and system-related parameters provides this information on a daily basis and might assist patient management.

Methods And Results: This retrospective analysis evaluates telemetric data obtained from 48 devices implanted in 45 patients (median age, 12.

Vascular interventions in young patients undergoing transvenous pacemaker revision.

Aims: Transvenous lead implantation for pacemaker (PM) or implantable cardioverter defibrillators systems in children and young patients with congenital heart disease is widely practiced. With longer implantation times, the risk for vascular occlusion increases. Transvenous angioplasty may be used to maintain venous patency for system revision in the future.

Lead removal in young patients in view of lifelong pacing.

Aims: In young patients with or without a congenital heart disease, transvenous leads for pacemakers or implantable cardioverter defibrillators can cause later vascular obstruction or infection. Removal of non-functional leads is controversial as it bears the risk of vascular disrupture and embolizations. We report the data of a single centre for paediatric cardiology on efficiency and safety of transvenous lead removal.

Transvenous cardiac resynchronization therapy in complex congenital heart diseases: dextrocardia with transposition of the great arteries after Mustard operation.

Cardiac resynchronization therapy revealed first promising results in patients with a congenital heart disease and a systemic right ventricle. Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging showed accessibility of the coronary sinus in an 18-year-old male patient with mirror dextrocardia, d-transposition of the great arteries and ventricular septal defect (VSD) after Mustard operation and VSD patch closure. In literatures, transvenous lead placement is discussed in this anatomical setting, with opposed position of the ventricular leads and reliable lead characteristics.

New trends in chromosomal investigation in children with cardiovascular malformations.

We investigated a group of 376 children, seen over a period of 7 years with different types of congenital cardiovascular defects, to assess the presence of chromosomal aberrations. The diagnostic approach, achieved in 3 consecutive steps, revealed conventional chromosomal aberrations in 30 of the patients (8%) excluding trisomies 13, 18, 21. Fluorescence in situ hybridisation for microdeletions showed 51 microdeletions (15%), with 43 patients having deletions of 22q11.

[A doctor's reflections on the breast ornament of the Artemis Ephesia].

Up to now, the discussion concerning the icongraphical identification of the mysterious ornamental dress of the breasts of the Ephesian Artemis a new approach of interpretation has been sought, a medically-diagnostic examination of this very likely polymastic form. Basing on the opinion of Christian apologists, the Ephesia to be a sample of pathologically morphological deformation with the pagan anthropomorphous idea of deities, the process of development of iconographic symbols, to be exact, the "macromasty" and the "pubic triangle", has been traced, beginning with the palaeolithic idols, coming futhermore to the old Anatolian mother deity and finally the Ephesia. In the Artemision, votive gifts where found, breastshaped and trigonal forms, inter alia made of amber.