Edmar Atik

Transxiphoid approach without median sternotomy for the repair of atrial septal defects.

BACKGROUND Interest in minimally invasive procedures has recently increased because it results in less surgical trauma, decreased patient discomfort, short hospital stay, reduced costs, and better cosmetic appearance. Based on these facts, we have been using the transxiphoid process approach without sternotomy for the correction of atrial septal defects. METHODS From July 1996 to January 1997, the xiphoid process window approach was performed in 10 patients with ostium secundum atrial septal defect. Ages ranged from 6 months to 14 years (mean, 5.3 years). In all patients, extracorporeal circulation was carried out by means of cannulation of the femoral artery and both caval veins and of aortic cross-clamping. Videothoracoscopy was used to improve visualization of the aorta. RESULTS There were no intraoperative or postoperative complications, and in all but 1 patient, extubation was possible while in the operating room. CONCLUSIONS The xiphoid process window, with no median sternotomy, permitted closure of the atrial septal defects with good results and could be used as a less invasive technique for their correction.

Intraventricular repair of double-outlet right ventricle with noncommitted ventricular septal defect: Advantages of multiple patches

OBJECTIVE The objective of this paper is to report our experience with biventricular repair of double-outlet right ventricle with noncommitted ventricular septal defect by means of multiple patches that simplify and render feasible the intraventricular correction of this complex anomaly. METHODS From April 1987 to April 1999, in 18 patients with double-outlet right ventricle and noncommitted ventricular septal defect, a technical modification that used multiple patches of bovine pericardium was used to construct an intraventricular tunnel connecting the left ventricle to the aorta. Ages ranged from 2 months to 13 years (mean age 4.73 +/- 3.41 years). RESULTS The early mortality was of 11.1% (2 patients). Surviving patients were followed up for a mean of 2.65 years. Three late deaths (16.6%) occurred: 5 months, 7 months, and 7 months after the operation. All but 1 patient are in New York Heart Association class I. CONCLUSION The use of multiple patches for biventricular correction of this anomaly simplifies and renders feasible the intraventricular repair in cases in which the 1-patch technique was deemed impossible.

Uhl's anomaly. Differential diagnosis and indication for cardiac transplantation in an infant

We report the case of an 8-month-old female infant with Uhls anomaly, who underwent successful cardiac transplantation. The clinical findings, complementary laboratory tests, anatomic findings, and differential diagnosis of the anomaly are discussed.

Aortopulmonary window. Clinical and surgical assessment of 18 cases

OBJECTIVE Aortopulmonary window (APW) is an uncommon congenital malformation. Its clinical presentation is dependent on the size of the defect and on the associated lesions. We evaluated our experience with this anomaly and compared it with 296 cases reported in the literature. METHODS Retrospective study of 18 patients diagnosed as having APW (age range from 13 days to 31 years, 13 (72.2%) females), divided into two groups: Group A (GA): 10 patients with isolated APW, and Group B (GB): 8 patients with associated lesions. RESULTS Heart failure occurred in 14 patients, and cyanosis in 3:2 from GB (tetralogy of Fallot--TF, and double outlet right ventricle--DORV), and one from GA with pulmonary hypertension. In 5 patients from GA the diagnosis of mitral regurgitation was made based on a systolic murmur and LV hypertrophy on the EKG. In GB, clinical findings were determined by the associated defect. Diagnosis was established by echocardiography in 11 (61.2%) of the patients. In 3 patients, a wrong diagnosis of mitral regurgitation was made, in 1 a patent ductus arteriosus was diagnosed and in 3 others, the diagnosis of APW was masked by other important associated defects (2 cases of DORV and 1 case of TF). The diagnosis was made by catheterization in 3 (16.6%) patients, by surgery in 3 (16.6%) and by necropsy in 1 (5.5%). Corrective surgery was performed in 14 (77.7%) patients, with one immediate death and good long-term follow-up in the remaining patients. CONCLUSION APW can be confused with other defects. Clinical findings, associated with an adequate echocardiogram can provide the information for the correct diagnosis.

Common arterial trunk associated with atrioventricular septal defect

Described are the clinical, cross-sectional echocardiographic, electrocardiographic and angiographic findings, together with the results at autopsy, in a 5-month old infant with a common arterial trunk associated with an atrioventricular septal defect. As far as is known, this is only the 13th such case to be reported in the literature. A particularly unusual feature of this case was an intact atrial component of the atrioventricular septal defect.

Non-invasive assessment of right ventricular function in the late follow-up of the Senning procedure

Deteriorating ventricular function is a major concern after the Senning operation. A Doppler-derived non-geometric measurement, the so-called myocardial performance index, has been described for use in adults and children. We aimed to assess the utility of this index as a method for quantification of right ventricular function in patients in the late follow-up of the Senning procedure, and to correlate the right ventricular ejection fraction and the first derivative of right ventricular pressure as derived using echocardiography with the ejection fraction determined using magnetic resonance imaging. We studied 44 patients within a mean postoperative period of 15.3 years. We calculated the right ventricular myocardial performance index by pulsed wave Doppler interrogation of tricuspid inflow and aortic outflow, the ejection fraction by Simpsons rule, and the first derivative of right ventricular pressure by continuous wave Doppler from tricuspid regurgitation. Mean values of right ventricular myocardial performance index, ejection fraction, and the first derivative of right ventricular pressure were 0.50, 39 percent and 1,398 millimetres of mercury per second, respectively. A cut-off value of 0.47 for the right ventricle myocardial performance index was determined, with a sensitivity of 75 percent and a specificity of 62.5 percent. We found no correlation between ejection fraction and the first derivative of right ventricular pressure as estimated by echocardiography and the ejection fraction as shown by magnetic resonance imaging (r2 equal to 0.29 and 0.04 respectively). We concluded, first, that patients with preserved right ventricular function had values for the right ventricular myocardial performance index lower than 0.47, and second, that ejection fraction and the first derivative of right ventricular pressure as determined echocardiographically did not correlate with values derived using magnetic resonance imaging.

Fontan Operation and the Cavopulmonary Technique. Immediate and Late Results According to the Presence of Atrial Fenestration

OBJECTIVE To compare immediate and late results in patients with or without fenestration who underwent cavopulmonary anastomosis so that we could assess the efficiency of the technique. METHODS Sixty-two patients underwent surgery between 1988 and 1999, 41 with fenestration (group I -G I) and 21 without fenestration (group II -G II). Tricuspid atresia was prevalent in group I (23-56%) and single ventricle was prevalent in group II (14-66%). Mean ages at the time of operation were 7.3 years in group I and 7.6 in group II. At late follow-up, mean ages were 10.6 years in group I and 12.8 years in group II. RESULTS Immediate and late mortality were 7.3% in G-I and 4.7% in G-II. Significant pleural effusion occurred in 41.4% of G-I patients and in 23.8% of G-II patients. Significant pericardial effusion occurred in 29.2% and 14.2%, respectively, in groups I and II. Central venous pressure was greater in G-II, 17.7 cm in H2O, as opposed to 15 cm in G-I. Hospital stay was similar between the groups, 26.3 and 21.8 days, respectively. Cyanosis and arterial insaturation occurred in 5 patients, and 4 patients were in functional class II, all from G-I. At late follow-up, 58 (93.5%) were in functional class I. Sinus rhythm was present in 94%, and pulmonary perfusion was similar in both groups. Eleven patients who underwent spirometry had good tolerance to physical effort. CONCLUSION Atrial fenestration did not improve the immediate or late follow-up of patients who underwent cavopulmonary anastomosis, and is, therefore, dispensable.

Tratamento Cirúrgico da Embolização de Coil para Artéria Pulmonar Após Tentativa de Fechamento Percutâneo do Canal Arterial

bulha no foco pulmonar era hiperfonetica.Auscultava-se sopro continuo de grande intensidade no bordo esternalesquerdo alto, acompanhado de fremito de igual intensidade. A auscul-ta pulmonar era normal e nao havia visceromegalias.O eletrocardiograma demonstrou ritmo sinusal com frequenciacardiaca de 120 bpm, sinais de sobrecarga ventricular esquerda ealteracoes difusas da repolarizacao ventricular. A radiografia simplesde torax mostrava aumento discreto da area cardiaca, com abau-lamento do arco medio e acentuacao da vascularidade pulmonar,principalmente na regiao hilar.O ecocardiograma bidimensional com Doppler confirmou asuspeita clinica de persistencia do canal arterial com hiperfluxopulmonar, mensurando-o em 4,5mm de diâmetro e o caracteri-zando como de moderada repercussao hemodinâmica.Optou-se pelo fechamento do canal arterial atraves do trata-mento percutâneo. Em face da grande dimensao do canal arterial,foram utilizadas tres molas de Gianturco

Persistence of hypoplastic and recoarcted fifth aortic arch associated with type A aortic arch interruption: Surgical and balloon angioplasty results in an infant

SummaryA rare aortic malformation, the persistence of the fifth aortic arch (PFAA) associated with coarctation of the aorta, is reported in a 3-month-old male infant who underwent an emergency surgical intervention at 10 days of life, to relieve a severe aortic coarctation by pericardial patch technique.A successful balloon angioplasty was performed 2 months later eliminating a recoarctation. The gradient fell from 77 mmHg to 0, but a definitive surgical intervention for recoarctation was necessary 14 months after angioplasty.

Common arterial trunk associated with absence of right atrioventricular connexion

Common arterial trunk is a rare congenital anomaly, usually found in the setting of a concordant atrioventricular connexion. The association of a common arterial trunk with absence of the right atrioventricular connexion is very rare, having, as far as we know, been reported only twice in the literature. In the case reported here the pulmonary arteries originated separately from the posterior wall of the arterial trunk, and the trunk overrode the septum between the dominant left- and the right-sided rudimentary right ventricle. We discuss the electrocardiographic features which can help in the diagnosis of this malformation.