The Konno-Rastan operation is performed for relief of complex left ventricular outflow obstruction with a small aortic annulus. When associated with situs inversus and dextrocardia, important aspects should be kept in mind due to the mirror-image anatomy. In this report, we present a case of a 10-year-old child with the diagnosis of recurrent diffuse subaortic stenosis and situs inversus and dextrocardia who underwent the Konno-Rastan operation successfully and was asymptomatic with normal physical activity after a follow-up period of one year.
Warden procedure is a popular technique for repairing partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection. We describe a modification of this technique for surgical repair of this condition by raising both a superior vena cava (SVC) flap and right atrial appendage flap to create a tension-free SVC-RA continuity (neo-SVC). The anomalous pulmonary veins are routed via the remanent of proximal SVC and baffled to the left atrium across a surgically created or enlarged atrial septal defect using autologous pericardium.
Early and long-term outcomes in patients with pulmonary atresia-intact ventricular septum undergoing staged univentricular palliations have been known to be adversely affected by the presence of right ventricle-dependent coronary circulation. We describe a surgical technique to circumvent the coronary insufficiency caused by acute decompression of the right heart.
Hemophilia A is the most common severe innate bleeding disorder. It is an X-linked recessive inherited bleeding disorder characterized by a qualitative and/or quantitative deficiency of factor VIII. The clinical manifestation of this disease is hemorrhaging that can affect every organ, in particular joints (hemarthrosis) and muscles (hematoma). Some serious but rare hemorrhages can be life-threatening, in particular hemorrhage of the central nervous system and hemopericardium. We report a rare case of spontaneous hemopericardium complicated by tamponade in a child with moderate hemophilia A treated with Factor VIII replacement infusion and pericardial drainage, with a favorable outcome. To our knowledge, this is the second case described in the literature of spontaneous hemopericardium occurring in a child with hemophilia A. Our case suggests that a dose of 50 IU/kg/8 h of factor VIII maintained for up to one day after removal of the pericardial drain seems to be sufficient to ensure correct hemostasis, though further evidence is needed to confirm this impression.
So as to produce totally anomalous systemic venous connection, all of the systemic venous tributaries, along with the coronary sinus, should be connected with the morphologically left atrium. Previous descriptions of this rare constellation of anomalous connections of the systemic venous tributaries of the heart have been compromised by the inclusion of individuals having isomeric atrial appendages. In these settings, most frequently, the totally, or almost totally, anomalous systemic venous connections are associated with a sinus venosus defect. It is the anomalous pulmonary venous connections that then create a venovenous bridge, which permits the systemic venous tributaries to drain into the morphologically left atrium, even though they may be predominantly connected to the right atrium. More rarely, it is feasible for the primary atrial septum to develop so as to leave the systemic venous sinus in direct connection with the body of the morphologically left, rather than the morphologically right, atrium. We report a series of patients potentially falling into the category of anomalous systemic venous connections. The findings show a spectrum from partially to totally anomalous connections, with some better interpreted on the basis of anomalous drainage. Included in our cases, nonetheless, is an autopsied example of totally anomalous systemic venous connection produced by an abnormal location of the primary atrial septum. We discuss the potential morphogenesis for this finding. We emphasize the distinction that needs to be made between anomalous systemic venous connections and anomalous systemic venous drainage.
Microvascular pulmonary arteriovenous malformations (pAVMs) can lead to profound hypoxemia. "Hepatic factor" is postulated to play a role in their development. Certain patients with congenital heart disease are at particular risk to develop pAVMs, including those with heterotaxy syndromes and complex Fontan palliation. Ideally, an underlying cause is identified and corrected, although pAVMs may persist despite those interventions. We report a patient with heterotaxy syndrome s/p Fontan who had pAVMs that persisted despite Fontan revision with equal hepatic flow to both lungs. We employed a novel method to produce a diabolo configuration of a large covered stent to restrict lung flow while maintaining the potential for future dilation.
We present a five-year-old female diagnosed with Larsen syndrome at birth with severe aortic root dilatation, failure to thrive, and developmental delay. This report highlights the specific physical findings, imaging, genetics, and surgical treatment, along with a brief overview of Larsen syndrome.
Young children requiring bypass often develop coagulopathy resulting in major postoperative blood loss. Increased post-bypass bleeding and donor exposures are independently associated with adverse outcomes. When transfusion of hemostatic blood products fails to reduce bleeding to an acceptable level, rescue therapies including prothrombin complex concentrates (PCCs), and/or recombinant activated factor VII are being given "off-label" with increasing frequency. A number of studies attempting to determine the safety and efficacy of PCCs in neonates and young children are being published. These studies are most commonly retrospective, observational, performed in a single center with varying doses, indications for, and timing of administration in a small number of patients with varying results. The results of these individual studies are questionable and are not to be generalized to other center's patients. Because factor VIII inhibitor bypassing activity (FEIBA) contains the activated form of factor VII and factor X there are concerns regarding the potential for thrombotic events in a population with a known risk of postoperative thromboembolism. Currently, there is no validated assay with which to measure the efficacy of FEIBA in vivo to determine dose titration. Well-designed multicenter randomized control trials are needed to determine the optimal dose and risk-benefit of PCCs after pediatric cardiac surgery. Until such data are available the decision to give a procoagulant to neonates and young children after bypass needs to be made when the consequences of blood loss and replacement pose more risk than the risk of thrombotic complications from the drug.
Mitral valve replacement in neonates and infants is a challenging operation with few good options. Neo-mitral valve reconstruction with right atrial appendage (RAA) may overcome some of the limitations of existing options.