Operative Techniques in Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery最新文献

Surgical management of critically ill neonates with Ebstein anomaly (EA) remains challenging with most published hospital and 1-year mortalities approximating 30%-40% irrespective of the surgical or palliative strategy. We have adopted an initial bi-ventricular repair strategy for most symptomatic neonates and young infants since 1994 and sought to identify whether our simplified tricuspid valve repair will be associated with improved outcome by a wider audience of experienced surgeons. The essential principles of the repair include (i) monocusp tricuspid valve repair based on the anterior leaflet, (ii) fenestrated ASD closure), (iii) repair of all associated cardiac defects, and (iv) reduction right atrioplasty. The technique of tricuspid valve repair depicted in the following figures was associated with a 100% 1-year survival for the most recent 6 years (n = 9).

The closure of Swiss-cheese multiple ventricular septal defects remains a difficult technical challenge and it is associated with increased mortality. Recently, the felt sandwich technique has been widely used to close muscular ventricular septal defects because the technique is simple, safe, effective, and reproducible. This technique may be useful, especially in complex cases, because it does not require prolonged surgical time. However, the use of numerous felt patches may disturb the movement of interventricular septum and cause cardiac dysfunction in infants. To avoid postoperative cardiac dysfunction, our current strategy is implemented to close muscular ventricular septal defects directly as much as possible. When the ventricular septal defect is considered unsuitable for direct closure, the felt sandwich technique is a useful tool that can be applied as needed by surgeons.

We describe an effective and practical approach for concomitant ablation that we use in 100% of mitral surgery patients with a history of atrial fibrillation. There are 3 steps. First the left atrial appendage is closed with a Clip with is highly effective and electrically isolates it. Second, 3 cryoablation lines are used to recreate the key Cox-Maze III lesion set with a total of 8 minutes of ablation time. In some patients, usually with tricuspid regurgitation, 3 right atrial ablations are placed within 6 minutes of ablation time. The procedure added 10.5 minutes and 13.4 minutes of cross clamp and bypass times. For patients with 3-minute box lesion freezes, 12-month freedom from atrial fibrillation off anti-arrthymics was 90%. There was no increase in peri-operative complications and late survival was the same as mitral patients without AF and a matched population.

“Swiss-cheese” multiple muscular ventricular septal defects (VSDs) are often very challenging to close. Herein we describe our trans-ventricular approach that allows simple and effective closure of multiple muscular VSDs and does not appear to adversely affect ventricular function. (Video 1 and 2)

Diaphragm dysfunction, either from congenital eventration or acquired paralysis, impairs the ability of the diaphragm to contract, thereby disrupting normal respiratory mechanics. While a proportion of patients will present with respiratory insufficiency or symptoms of dyspnea, the majority of patients are asymptomatic and most cases are identified incidentally on chest imaging by the presence of an elevated hemidiaphragm. In symptomatic patients, surgical plication of the diaphragm remains the gold standard treatment. Traditionally, diaphragm plication is performed through an open transthoracic approach via a posterolateral thoracotomy. However, more recently there has been increased utilization of minimally invasive techniques, including video-assisted thoracoscopic and laparoscopic approaches. Here, we present our technique for robotic-assisted transthoracic plication, with advantages including enhanced ergonomics, seamless motion, decreased surgeon fatigue, tremor filtering, and 3-dimensional vision. This approach has been demonstrated to be a technically feasible and safe option for performing diaphragm plications with an associated decreased hospital length of stay and trend towards decreased 30-day postoperative complications compared to open plication.

Transatrial re-endocardialization (TAR) is a technique used to complement conventional patch repair of multiple ventricular septal defects (mVSD). To inform operative strategy, pre-operative imaging is supplemented by pre-cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) intraoperative epicardial echocardiography to understand the size and location of all VSDs. After standard cannulation and arrest, L-shaped right atriotomy is performed and the superior margin of VSDs are marked. Perimembraneous and moderate-large VSDs with insufficient surrounding trabeculae are closed with patch repair. Remaining small muscular VSDs are addressed by TAR, whereby the defect is closed in 2-layers with fine polypropylene suture for superficial re-approximation of adjacent right ventricular trabeculation. Success of repair is evaluated with high-pressure left ventricular injection and pulmonary-systemic flow ratio after CPB is weaned. Adding TAR to the armamentarium of mVSD repair strategies allows for reduction of patch size, thereby decreasing the risk of ventricular septal dyskinesis and heart block.

The closure of multiple muscular ventricular septal defects poses a unique challenge to the surgeon with inherent risks of residual defects, conduction blocks, and ventricular dysfunction. The trabeculations in the right ventricle often make it difficult to identify and visualize the edges of the defects. More recently 3 dimensional (3D) models are increasingly being used in the management of various complex congenital heart defects. We present our technique of closing multiple muscular ventricular septal defects (VSDs) using individualized 3D printed models. The stepwise process requires a multidisciplinary approach between the cardiologist, cardiac surgeon, cardiac radiologist, and 3D engineer. As the 3D model exactly replicates the intracardiac anatomy including that of the trabeculations in the region of the multiple VSDs, this technique facilitates the precise location of the defects and obviates the requirement to ‘search’ for the defects intraoperatively. The defects can be located through a shorter right ventricular incision and the defects can be closed with a shorter myocardial ischemia time. Three-dimensional printing facilitates individualization of surgical management, and we recommend the addition of 3D printing to the armamentarium of surgeons dealing with the challenge of closing multiple muscular VSDs in children.