Implantation of monocusp valve prolongs the duration of chest tube drainage in children with tetralogy of fallot after corrective surgery.

Background: Right ventricular outflow tract obstruction relief is one of the major procedures during the total correction of tetralogy of Fallot (TOF). Pulmonary insufficiency (PI) is usually inevitable after a transannular incision with a patch repair is performed. Therefore, some surgeons advocate to place a monocusp valve within the transannular patch (TAP) in order to decrease the severity of the PI.

Diagnosis and Surgical Outcomes of Patients with Anomalous Left Coronary Artery from the Pulmonary Artery: A Single Taiwanese Medical Center Experience.

Background: Anomalous left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA), a very rare congenital cardiac anomaly, is associated with a high mortality rate among infants who are not diagnosed or treated in a timely manner. Surgical intervention with the reconstruction for a two-coronary-system circulation is the main treatment; however, there have been very few reported cases from Taiwan. In this study, we aim to describe the clinical manifestations, diagnostic methods, surgery types, and surgical outcomes in patients with ALCAPA from a single Taiwanese medical center.

Procedural Characteristics and Outcomes of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation: A Single-Center Experience of the First 100 Inoperable or High Surgical Risk Patients with Severe Aortic Stenosis.

Background: This is the first study of a Taiwanese population reporting transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) outcomes of the first 100 cases from a single center offering two different transcatheter heart valve technologies via six types of approaches. We herein report the 30-day and one-year outcomes in our first 100 TAVI patients at Taipei Veterans General Hospital.

Methods: From May 2010 to April 2016, 100 consecutive patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) who were considered unsuitable or at high risk for surgical aortic valve replacement underwent TAVI.

Cost-utility analysis of direct ventricular assist device vs double bridges to heart transplantation in patients with refractory heart failure.

Object: This study compared the cost-utility of direct ventricular assist device (VAD) vs double bridges, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) before VAD, to heart transplantation in patients with refractory heart failure.

Materials And Methods: From a health payer perspective, a Markov model was developed. The cycle length was 1 month, and the time horizon was a lifetime.

Comparisons of Differentiation Potential in Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Wharton's Jelly, Bone Marrow, and Pancreatic Tissues.

Background. Type 1 diabetes mellitus results from autoimmune destruction of β-cells. Insulin-producing cells (IPCs) differentiated from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in human tissues decrease blood glucose levels and improve survival in diabetic rats.

IL-1β-Induced Mesenchymal Stem Cell Migration Involves MLCK Activation via PKC Signaling.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) migrate via the bloodstream to sites of injury, possibly attracted by inflammatory cytokines. Although many cytokines can induce stem cell migration, the underlying mechanism is not fully understood. We found that tail vein-injected MSCs migrate to the pancreas in nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice.

Undifferentiated Wharton's Jelly Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation Induces Insulin-Producing Cell Differentiation and Suppression of T-Cell-Mediated Autoimmunity in Nonobese Diabetic Mice.

Type 1 diabetes mellitus is caused by T-cell-mediated autoimmune destruction of pancreatic β-cells. Systemic administration of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) brings about their incorporation into a variety of tissues with immunosuppressive effects, resulting in regeneration of pancreatic islets. We previously showed that human MSCs isolated from Wharton's jelly (WJ-MSCs) represent a potential cell source to treat diabetes.

One-year results of transcatheter aortic valve implantation as an alternative treatment for severe aortic stenosis in high-risk patients.

Background: Aortic valve replacement (AVR) remains the gold standard treatment for symptomatic severe aortic stenosis (AS). For the past 10 years, transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has been applied in patients with high surgical mortality and morbidity risks. The preliminary results of our TAVI patients are presented in this study.

The role of adenosine in preconditioning by brief pressure overload in rats.

Background/purpose: Brief pressure overload of the left ventricle reduced myocardial infarct (MI) size in rabbits has been previously reported. Its effects in other species are not known. This study investigates effects of pressure overload and the role of adenosine in rats in this study.

Primary cardiac fibroma in an infant: computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging findings.

Cardiac fibromas (CFs) are benign primary tumors that typically occur during childhood and may be asymptomatic. However, due to the proximity of CFs to the cardiac structure, significant morbidity and mortality may also be anticipated. CFs do not show spontaneous regression and surgical resection generally remains the treatment of choice for these tumors in children.

Intraportal injection of insulin-producing cells generated from human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells decreases blood glucose level in diabetic rats.

We studied the process of trans-differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBM-MSCs) into insulin-producing cells. Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rat model was used to study the effect of portal vein transplantation of these insulin-producing cells on blood sugar levels. The BM-MSCs were differentiated into insulin-producing cells under defined conditions.

Preconditioning threshold of brief pressure overload of the left ventricle.

Background: We previously reported that pressure overload of the left ventricle reduced myocardial infarct (MI) size in rabbits. The threshold of pressure overload was investigated in this study.

Methods: Pressure overload of the left ventricle was induced by partial snare of the ascending aorta in anesthetized, open-chest rabbits.

Concomitant Bentall operation plus aortic arch replacement surgery.

Background: The Bentall operation is recommended for thoracic aortic dissection or aneurysm involving the aortic root. However, if the lesion extends to the aortic arch, concomitant Bentall operation plus aortic arch replacement (CoBAAR) surgery is required. CoBAAR is challenging because of its complex cardiopulmonary procedure, prolonged cardiopulmonary bypass time, and demanding operative techniques.

Thrombelastography change after bridging to left ventricular assist device from extracorporeal membrane oxygenation patients.

Background: Circulatory assist devices are applied to support patients with end-stage heart failure or circulatory collapse. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and ventricular assist device (VAD) are the two devices that are commonly used in these situations. However, in patients undergoing ECMO, complications occur more frequently and are more severe than in those with VAD, especially in patients with coagulopathy.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation-assisted primary percutaneous coronary intervention may improve survival of patients with acute myocardial infarction complicated by profound cardiogenic shock.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) assistance on the clinical outcome of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) that is complicated by profound cardiogenic shock (CS) who received primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Materials And Methods: We collected patients from January 2004 through December 2006 (stage 1); 25 patients who presented with AMI and received primary PCI and had profound CS were enrolled in the study. Intraaortic balloon counterpulsation (IABP) was the only modality for extracorporeal support in our hospital.

Transplantation of insulin-producing cells from umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells for the treatment of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Background: Although diabetes mellitus (DM) can be treated with islet transplantation, a scarcity of donors limits the utility of this technique. This study investigated whether human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from umbilical cord could be induced efficiently to differentiate into insulin-producing cells. Secondly, we evaluated the effect of portal vein transplantation of these differentiated cells in the treatment of streptozotocin-induced diabetes in rats.

Various modalities for evaluation of a fused heart in conjoined twins.

Conjoined twins are a rare congenital anomaly with an estimated incidence of 1/50,000 to 1/100,000. Among thoracopagus conjoined twins, 75% have a fused heart. We compare the usefulness of various modalities for evaluating cardiovascular structure in fused-heart conjoined twins.

Brief pressure overload preconditions rabbit myocardium independent of adenosine receptor activation.

Background: We previously reported brief pressure overload of the left ventricle reduced myocardial infarct size. The role of adenosine receptors was investigated in this study.

Methods: Pressure overload was achieved by two 10-minute partial snaring of the ascending aorta.

Peritoneal dialysis in infants and children after open heart surgery.

Background: Infants and children who undergo surgical repair of complex congenital heart diseases are prone to developing renal dysfunction. The purpose of this study was to investigate the risk factors associated with prolonged peritoneal dialysis (PD) and the mortality of pediatric patients with acute renal failure (ARF) after open heart surgery.

Methods: From June 1999 to May 2007, a total of 542 children underwent open heart surgery for congenital heart disease.

Malignancy after heart transplantation.

Background: The purpose of this study was to assess the incidence and type of malignancies after heart transplantation at a medical institute in Taiwan.

Methods: From January 1987 to December 2008, a total of 66 patients who survived more than 30 days after transplantation were enrolled in this study.

Results: Of the 66 heart transplant recipients, 8 (12.

A right-sided aortic arch with Kommerell's diverticulum of the aberrant left subclavian artery presenting with syncope.

A right-sided aortic arch with an aneurysm of the aberrant subclavian artery is a rare disease. We report a case of Kommerell's diverticulum of an aberrant left subclavian artery in a patient with a right-sided aortic arch. Fewer than 50 cases have been reported in the literature.

Prenatal diagnosis of dextrotransposition of the great arteries.

Dextrotransposition of the great arteries (DTGA) is a common cardiac cause of cyanosis in newborn infants that can cause acidosis and death within a short period of time unless there is a large atrial-level shunt or a patent ductus arteriosus. Here, we report a case of prenatal diagnosis of DTGA at 24+1 gestational weeks. In a tilted 4-chamber view, the pulmonary trunk branched to the left and the right pulmonary, with its root connected to the left ventricle outflow tract.

Prenatal diagnosis of tetralogy of Fallot with pulmonary atresia.

Tetralogy of Fallot involves an abnormal embryological development in which an unequal conotruncal division results in a small pulmonary artery and a great aortic artery. In its most severe form, the infundibulum of the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery can be atretic with the anomaly commonly referred to as pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect. Reported here is a case of prenatal diagnosis of tetralogy of Fallot with pulmonary atresia.

The prevalence and clinical impact of pulmonary artery sling on school-aged children: a large-scale screening study.

Background: Airway obstruction is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in patients with pulmonary artery sling (PAS). Early identification of PAS is imperative for prompt initiation of appropriate treatments.

Objective: Our aim was to investigate the prevalence and clinical impact of PAS on school-aged children through a large-scale pre-sports participation cardiovascular screening (PPCVS) study.