OBJECTIVE: There are several modifications introduced in the preparation for a subsequent non-surgical transcatheter completion of the Fontan procedure. We report our experience with one type of the modification and the short-term results following its implementation. METHODS: During bidirectional cavopulmonary connection (BCPC) an intra-atrial lateral tunnel is additionally created, as ...

OBJECTIVES: We describe the management and outcome of permanent pacemaker (PPM) and implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) infections in a large cohort of patients seen at a tertiary care facility with expertise in device lead extraction. BACKGROUND: Infection is a serious complication of PPM and ICD implantation. Optimal care of patients with ...

Volumetric measurements of the right ventricle are helpful in patients with atrial septal defects (ASDs) in estimating the degree of right ventricular (RV) failure. They also may be important in following patients postoperatively after ASD closure. Traditional imaging modalities used to obtain such measurements have had limitations in measuring the ...

BACKGROUND: Left ventricular outflow gradient is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Alcohol septal ablation is the alternative to surgery in cases refractory to drug therapy. The implication of LVOG measured 1 week post-ASA for prediction of outcome is unknown. OBJECTIVE: To observe the pattern of LVOG ...

AIM: To review techniques of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICD) in patients after Mustard surgery for arterial transposition. METHODS AND RESULTS: Retrospective analysis of all Mustard patients receiving ICDs at our institution. Five patients (median age 24 years, range 19-35, 3 male) with systemic right ventricular dysfunction (sRV) dysfunction and New York ...

OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to compare long-term results of various types of surgical repairs for either congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries or double outlet right ventricle with discordant atrioventricular connections, and to analyze the risk factors that affect early and late mortality and reintervention. METHODS: Between January ...

OBJECTIVE: Transannular patching of the right ventricular outflow tract results in pulmonary insufficiency. Biologic monocusp valves prevent early pulmonary insufficiency but usually become nonfunctional in less than 1 year. Polytetrafluoroethylene monocusp leaflets demonstrated favorable characteristics in our animal studies and have been applied to a variety of right ventricular outflow ...

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to review short- and long-term outcomes following total correction in patients with tetralogy of Fallot that presented during adulthood. METHODS: It was a retrospective analysis of 284 patients (aged 14-50 years, mean 19.4 +/- 2.5 years) with tetralogy of Fallot who underwent total ...

OBJECTIVE: The correction of sinus venosus atrial septal defect with a partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection to the superior vena cava has been associated with obstruction to the venous return and sinus node dysfunction. We present our follow-up of 2 approaches of managing the lesion and compare their postoperative results. ...

Transcatheter fenestration to create an interatrial communication has been used to treat patients with protein losing enteropathy (PLE) after Fontan operation. No systematic data have been reported assessing the results of this procedure. Our institutional database was queried to identify patients after Fontan operation who had transcatheter fenestration to treat ...

Novel nontransvenous implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) configurations are sometimes required for small children and children with complex congenital heart disease at risk for sudden death. Mid- to long-term follow-up of these nontraditional implant techniques is not well known. We assessed the mid-term performance of a subcutaneous lead technique used in ...

INTRODUCTION: The causes of coagulation abnormalities and thromboembolic complications during staged Fontan approach in patients with single ventricle remain unclear. This study was designed to evaluate the coagulation profile in the early postoperative period after hemi-Fontan and Fontan procedures with relationship to liver function and hemodynamic variables. MATERIALS AND METHODS: ...

AIMS: Transcatheter closure of secundum atrial septal defects (ASD) with the Amplatzer septal occluder (ASO) has become a standard procedure in most pediatric and adult patients. However, data addressing success rates and outcome in adults is limited. We sought to define the safety profile of the ASO in the community ...

OBJECTIVE: To assess safety and efficacy of transcatheter atrial septal defect (ASD) closure in small children. BACKGROUND: Percutaneous closure of ASD is a well accepted alternative to surgery. Reported experience in small children remains, however, scarce. METHODS: Fifty-two children underwent percutaneous ASD closure at a weight < or =15 kg, ...

OBJECTIVES: Hemodynamic effects of surgical and percutaneous closure of atrial septal defect (ASD) were evaluated. BACKGROUND: ASD causes volume overload of right ventricle (RV) and is associated with distortion and dysfunction of left ventricle (LV). The amount and timing of hemodynamic changes after ASD closure are not well known. METHODS: ...

INTRODUCTION: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has been independently associated with increased cardiovascular mortality. Little is known about the benefit of implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) therapy for prevention of sudden death in this large, high-risk population. We sought to evaluate the impact of CKD on survival in patients who received an ...

BACKGROUND: Central vein leads are known to predispose to venous obstruction. Although usually asymptomatic, obstruction may render electrode removal difficult. This study aimed at quantifying changes in venous calibers in a prospective fashion by intravenous contrast venography (ICV) before and after pacemaker (PM) or cardioverter-defibrillator implantation. METHODS: One hundred and ...

AIMS: The purpose of this prospective randomized study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of transvenous pacemaker and implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) lead extraction with an electrosurgical dissection sheath (EDS) system in a single-centre experience. Methods Over 10 years, 462 patients have undergone transvenous lead extraction in our institution. From ...

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the results of arterial switch operation and closure of ventricular defects (ASO+VSDc) for double outlet right ventricle with sub-pulmonary ventricular septal defect (Taussig-Bing anomaly). METHODS: Between 1988 and 2003, 33 patients (25 male, 76%) with Taussig-Bing anomaly underwent ASO+VSDc (median age 39 days, 1 day-2.1 years). ...

OBJECTIVE: In presence of adequate pulmonary blood flow, patients presenting with unoperated or palliated pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect (PA/VSD) can reach adult age. However, they remain symptomatic with a limited life expectancy. METHODS: Since 1993, 27 patients underwent surgery for unrepaired PA/VSD. Median age was 20 (range: 15-43) ...

OBJECTIVE: Patients with severe left ventricular (LV) dysfunction have a poor long term survival despite complete surgical revascularization. Recent data suggests that the use of Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD) improves survival in patients with severe LV dysfunction. We compared the survival impact of ICD implantation in patients with severe LV dysfunction ...

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To describe the daily routine application of a new telemonitoring system in a large population of cardiac device recipients. METHODS: Data transmitted daily and automatically by a remote, wireless Home Monitoring system (HM) were analyzed. The average time gained in the detection of events using HM versus standard ...

BACKGROUND: Several studies suggest that the superior transseptal approach to mitral valve surgery leads to sinus node dysfunction. The clinical consequences are not known. METHODS: Consecutive patients undergoing surgery for mitral valve disease from November 16, 1994 through January 26, 2004 were retrospectively evaluated. The surgeons used either the superior ...

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare the results of percutaneous septal myocardial ablation (PSMA) and surgical myectomy (SM) for decreasing the left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) gradient, septal thickness, ventricular dimensions, and mitral regurgitation (MR) in patients with symptomatic hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy. METHODS: We treated 40 patients ...

AIMS OF THE STUDY: To examine the patterns of use, complication rates, and survival in elderly recipients of implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD). METHODS AND RESULTS: We followed 500 consecutive patients included in the Marburg Defibrillator database for 48+/-39 months. There were 40 patients (8%) >/= 75 and 460 (92%) < ...

The treatment of the atrial septal defect (ASD) in patients older than 40 years of age is controversial. We analyzed our experience according to different subgroups: i) the natural history of adults without closure of the defect; ii) comparison between surgical closure versus no closure; and iii) comparison between surgical ...

AIMS: Few data have been currently reported on the outcome of coronary sinus (CS) lead removal, particularly using mechanical dilation (MD). We aimed to evaluate feasibility, safety, and effectiveness of CS lead extraction, focusing on MD usefulness, in the event that lead traction (LT) was ineffective. METHODS AND RESULTS: We ...

INTRODUCTION: Dedicated pacing modes, such as AAIsafeR, prevent ventricular (V) pacing in selected patients. We report our experience in consecutive unselected patients. METHODS: All data collected in recipients of Symphony DR 2550 pacemakers (ELA Medical, Montrouge, France) were retrospectively analyzed. At each visit, the percentage of V and atrial (A) ...

BACKGROUND: We prospectively examined whether surgical treatment of secundum atrial septal defects in patients 30 years old improves their early- and mid-term clinical outcomes. Our clinical experience is reviewed to assess the importance of surgical management in elderly patients with atrial septal defect. METHODS: We analyzed 41 patients older than ...

BACKGROUND: Implantable Cardioverter-defibrillators (ICD) reduce mortality in survivors of cardiac arrest (CA). We investigated the predictors of mortality after ICD implantation in survivors of CA. METHODS: Retrospective review of clinical records and social security death index of all patients who received an ICD in a preexisting database of survivors of ...

BACKGROUND: We evaluated the number of appropriate and inappropriate therapies for ventricular tachyarrhythmias and trigger mechanisms in 55 MADIT II (MII)-like (group 1) and 86 SCD-HeFT-like (group 2) patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: We analyzed 399 appropriate episodes in 31 patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD) implanted according to the MII ...

BACKGROUND: We integrated a catheter-based device and minimally invasive surgical techniques for the treatment of atrial septal defect for children younger than 2 years old. METHODS: Forty-three patients were divided into 3 groups: group A underwent open-chest device closure with a right lateral thoracotomy (n = 12), group B underwent ...

BACKGROUND: Powered sheaths, including Excimer laser sheaths, were introduced for the removal of transvenous pacing and defibrillator leads. The purpose of this study was to develop an algorithm to better predict which patients are likely to benefit from these devices. METHODS: We reviewed 283 consecutive patients in whom a total ...

AIM: The avoidance of cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic cross-clamping in patients possessing single ventricular physiology has potential advantages including preservation of ventricular and pulmonary functions; early extubation, decreased incidence of pleural effusions and decreased requirement of inotropic agents and blood products. In this study, we assessed the postoperative outcome of ...

Endovascular lead infection is an uncommon but serious problem. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is a useful tool for identification of pacemaker lead vegetations. Additionally, incidental echogenic masses are occasionally identified by TEE. The prognosis and optimal treatment of either suspected lead infection or an incidental mass is poorly understood. OBJECTIVE: The ...

There is only limited experience of interventional closure of perimembranous ventricular septal defects (pmVSDs), particularly on the long-term follow-up. This is a report on our long-term results after transcatheter closure of pmVSDs using the Cardioseal, Starflex, or Rashkind devices. PATIENTS: Between 1993 and 2005, we performed interventional occlusions of pmVSDs ...

BACKGROUND: Oral bosentan is an established treatment for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). OBJECTIVE: To evaluate safety, tolerability, and clinical and haemodynamic effects of bosentan in patients with PAH related to congenital heart disease (CHD). PATIENTS: 22 patients with CHD related PAH (8 men, 14 women, mean (SD) age 38 (10) ...

OBJECTIVE: Our approach to the extracardiac conduit Fontan operation has evolved over time from full-pump, to partial-pump, to completely off-pump. This study is designed to report our overall experience with the extracardiac conduit Fontan operation and to evaluate the evolution in bypass technique on postoperative outcomes. METHODS: From September 1992 ...

BACKGROUND: Avoidance of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and aortic cross-clamping during the Fontan procedure has been advocated to improve outcomes. We continue to use CPB with aortic cross-clamping for the Fontan procedure. METHODS: We performed a review of patients undergoing the Fontan procedure between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2004. ...

OBJECTIVE: Surgical repair of multiple muscular ventricular septal defects (Swiss cheese septum) is associated with important morbidity and mortality. We sought to examine factors associated with permanent heart block, early mortality, and time-related survival. Additionally, we evaluated a new approach, transatrial re-endocardialization of interventricular septum, to mitigate risk. METHODS: One ...

BACKGROUND: Surgical repair of complete atrioventricular septal defect (CAVSD) is a well-established procedure performed on young children. Our hypothesis is that with modern techniques, the current risks of CAVSD repair in children aged younger than 3 months and in children older than 3 months are equal. METHODS: This was a ...

Information on the incidence of decompensation of chronic heart failure (CHF) in heart transplantation (HT) candidates eligible for prophylactic implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD) could provide insights into the influence of ICD on the timing for HT. METHODS: We investigated the prevalence of candidates satisfying SCD-HeFT and MADIT-II criteria for prophylactic ...

OBJECTIVE: We have developed a surgical method for atrial septal defect repair through a limited right lateral thoracotomy in which the incision line begins 2 cm caudal from the lower angle of the scapula and ends at the midaxial line, thereby improving patient satisfaction with the cosmetic results of treatment. ...

BACKGROUND: Pacemakers have improved the lives of patients worldwide. Unfortunately, the medical community has had little independent information regarding the performance of these vital medical devices. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine the reasons pacemaker pulse generators and transvenous leads were removed from service. We evaluated the ...

OBJECTIVE: To report the immediate and midterm results of transcatheter closure of perimembranous ventricular septal defect (PmVSD) using the Amplatzer membranous VSD occluder (AMVSD). METHODS: Between April 2002 and August 2004, 100 patients underwent an attempt of percutaneous device closure of PmVSD using the AMVSD in 24 international centers. The ...

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to analyze the feasibility and early results of transatrial total correction of tetralogy of Fallot (TOF). METHODS: Of the 860 patients undergoing total correction for TOF between January 2000 and July 2005, 334 patients were considered morphologically suitable for transatrial total correction. The ...

BACKGROUND: The bovine jugular vein conduit (Contegra [Medtronic, Inc, Minneapolis, MN]) is one option for right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction. We examined the effect of patient age, conduit size, hemodynamics, and cardiac malformation on early and mid-term outcome. METHODS: Seventy-eight bovine jugular vein implantations were performed over 5 years. Follow-up ...

BACKGROUND: Children with univentricular hearts and aortic arch obstruction are treated sequentially with Norwood procedure, superior cavopulmonary anastomosis (SCPA), and Fontan operation. Early SCPA results in lower initial O2 saturation and longer hospitalization, but not increased mortality. We sought to determine the impact of early SCPA on Fontan candidacy and ...

BACKGROUND: Adult patients with congenital heart disease under follow-up often need to undergo diagnostic procedures which expose them to radiation. AIM: To evaluate radiation doses in adult patients with congenital heart disease during follow-up. METHODS: Data on diagnostic procedures were used from the European Heart Survey on adult congenital heart ...

Low heart rate is the predominantly used indication for pacemaker intervention in patients with isolated congenital atrioventricular block (CAVB). The aim of this study was to compare the difference in heart rates recorded with ECG and Holter monitoring between paced (PM) and nonpaced (NPM) patients with isolated CAVB before pacemaker ...