Ender Odemis

Stent implantation in the arterial duct of the newborn with duct-dependent pulmonary circulation: single centre experience from Turkey

OBJECTIVES Implantation of stents into the ductus arteriosus is an alternative treatment to palliative or corrective cardiac surgery in newborns with duct-dependent pulmonary circulation, although the use of this technique for congenital heart disease is limited. METHODS Between April 2010 and June 2011, 13 patients underwent patent ductus arteriosus stenting after full assessment by echocardiogram and angiogram, two of patients had pulmonary atresia (PA) and ventricular septal defect (VSD), six patients had PA with intact ventricular septum (IVS), four patients had critical pulmonary stenosis with IVS and one single ventricle physiology with PA and four patients had radiofrequency-assisted perforation of the pulmonary valve at the same time. All procedures were retrograde through the femoral artery, except one, which was by the femoral vein approach. RESULTS The mean age and weight during intervention were 10.5±5.7 days and 3.1±0.4 kg, respectively. The mean of procedure and scopy time, time of stay in intensive care, total out-of-hospital and total follow-up time were 138.88±67.11 min; 40.32±25.86 min; 4.88±6.07 days; 11.00±6.89 days and 86.40±73.21 days, respectively. The mean of the radiation amount was 1054.27±1106.91 cGy/cm2. The mean of saturation before and after intervention were 64.44±5.83; 81.88±6.95%, respectively. Procedure-related deaths were observed in two patients. The causes of death were pulmonary haemorrhage (n=1) and retroperitoneal haemorrhage (n=1). Two patients also died after discharge before surgery due to sepsis (n=1) and aspiration pneumonia (n=1). Eight of 13 patients achieved stent patency during 6 months of follow up and re-stenosis developed in one patient (1/8; 12.5%) who had undergone a Glenn operation at 4.5 months of age. CONCLUSIONS Ductal stenting is a practicable, effective, safer and less invasive method compared palliative or corrective surgery. Patients with ductal stenting have growth of the pulmonary artery which provides additional time for surgical repair. Our data suggested that ductal stenting should be considered as a first treatment step in newborns with duct-depended pulmonary circulation. However, long-term palliation without stent re-stenosismight still be a concern especially in patients with hypoplastic pulmonary arteries.

Percutaneous Pulmonary Valve Implantation Using Edwards SAPIEN Transcatheter Heart Valve in Different Types of Conduits: Initial Results of a Single Center Experience

BACKGROUND Percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation is frequently used as a less invasive method in patients with conduit dysfunction. The common valve type cannot be used in conduits with a diameter larger than 22 mm. There has been limited experience concerning the used of the SAPIEN Transcatheter Heart Valve, produced for use in conduits with a large diameter. This study presents hemodynamic and early follow-up results from a single center in Turkey concerning the use of the SAPIEN Transcatheter Heart Valve in different types of conduits and different lesions. PATIENTS AND METHOD Between October 2010 and July 2012, seven SAPIEN Transcatheter Heart Valve implantations were performed. There was mixed type 2 pure insufficiency with stenosis and insufficiency in five patients. Three different conduits were used, and one native pulmonary artery process was performed. Patients were followed for hemodynamic findings, functional capacities, valve competence, reshrinking, and breakage in the stent, and the results were evaluated. RESULTS Implantations were successfully performed in all patients. Right ventricular pressures and gradients were significantly reduced, and there was no pulmonary regurgitation in any patient. Functional capacities evidently improved in all patients except for one with pulmonary hypertension. No major complication was observed. During the mean time of follow-up (7.2 ± 4.7 months), no valve insufficiency or stent breakage was observed. CONCLUSION Procedural results and short-term outcomes of the SAPIEN Transcatheter Heart Valve were very promising in the patients included in the study. The SAPIEN Transcatheter Heart Valve can be a good alternative to surgical conduit replacement, particularly in patients with larger and different types of conduits.

Extracorporeal Life Support Experiences of a New Congenital Heart Center in Turkey

Extracorporeal life support (ECLS) provides mechanical support following cardiac surgery when respiratory and cardiac failure occurs. We retrospectively reviewed medical records of patients who needed ECLS at a new congenital heart center in Turkey. Between December 2009 and February 2012, 616 congenital heart operations were performed. A total of 13 patients (seven female) underwent ECLS. The ages of the patients ranged between 16 days and 33 years. There were two neonatal, seven infant, three pediatric, and one adult congenital cases. Medos DPII ECLS system was used in all patients. Mean duration of ECLS was 6.2 ± 5.8 days (ranged from 29 h to 24 days). While central vascular access with aorta and right atrial cannulation was used in 11 patients, neck vessels were used in the other patients. Four patients (30.7%) weaned successfully from ECLS (two infant, two pediatric cases). Three of them had ECLS intraoperatively. In all patients, two (15.4%) were discharged from the hospital. One of them had mild neurologic deficit. Bleeding from the surgical and cannulation sites was the most common complication. Thrombus was detected in pump head and changed uneventfully in three patients. Arterial pH and lactate levels at the beginning of ECLS were significantly lower in patients who were successfully weaned from ECLS than nonsurvivors (P = 0.04 and P = 0.02, respectively). ECLS can be a lifesaving modality in the perioperative period. It may be more beneficial if ECLS is used before the development of severe acidosis and high lactate levels.

Early Degeneration of Extracellular Matrix Used for Aortic Reconstruction During the Norwood Operation

The use of prosthetic patch material is often required during the surgical reconstruction of complex congenital cardiac malformations. Decellularized porcine small intestinal submucosa, a type of extracellular matrix, was recently introduced as a patch for cardiac and vascular tissue repair. Extracellular matrix was used for aortic reconstruction during the Norwood procedure in 8 consecutive neonates with hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Rapid degeneration or aneurysm formation developed in 3 of these patients who came to second-stage surgery. Extracellular matrix should be used cautiously for aortic reconstruction in infants until additional reports from other centers provide confirmation of its safety.

Clinical Outcome of Patients in a Start-Up Congenital Heart Surgery Program in Turkey

This study summarizes the clinical outcome data of a start-up congenital heart surgery program in Turkey. Between December 2009 and February 2012, 616 operations have been performed in 132 newborns (22%), 260 infants (42%), and 224 children/adolescents (36%). Risk adjustment analysis was performed using the risk adjustment in congenital heart surgery (RACHS-1) risk assessment model. There were 66 mortalities (10.7%). According to the RACHS-1 categories, there were 51 cases in level I (8.2%) with no mortality (0%), 250 in level II (40.6%) with 11 (4.4%) mortalities, 199 in level III (32.3%) with 33 (16.5%) mortalities, 53 in level IV (8.6%) with 10 (18.8%) mortalities, 14 in level V and VI (2.2%) with 11 (78.5%) mortalities, and 49 cases (7.9%) out of the RACHS-1 categories with one (2.0%) mortality. Mortality was higher in neonates compared to infants, and in infants compared to children/adolescents. Mortality was higher in palliative procedures compared to corrective procedures. The data demonstrate that a start-up program with a relatively loaded surgical volume may achieve acceptable clinical results with a good teamwork. Collaboration of anesthesiologists, perfusionists, pediatric cardiologists, intensivists, and cardiovascular surgeons is necessary to provide a better outcome in congenital heart surgery.

Istanbul Symposium on Neonatal and Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Bypass Procedures

Last summer, after organizing two Istanbul symposiums on pediatric extracorporeal life support systems, the third one was held on December 17, 2011 at the American Hospital in Istanbul, Turkey (1). The main topic of the third symposium was “minimizing adverse effects of cardiopulmonary bypass procedures in neonates and pediatric cardiac patients.”The objective of this editorial is to present the outcomes of the third symposium and suggest more topics for future symposiums in 2012. The third symposium is dedicated to honor Prof. Dr. Aydın Aytaç for his lifelong contributions as a pioneering surgeon and educator of the development of pediatric cardiac surgery in Turkey (Fig. 1) (2–6).

Transcatheter Management of Neonates With Pulmonary Atresia With Intact Ventricular Septum: A Single Center Experience From Turkey

Pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum (PAIVS) is characterized by a broad spectrum of heterogeneous morphologies. Perforation of the atretic valve, balloon dilatation, and stenting of the patent ductus arteriosus are the percutaneous techniques that are used with increasing frequency in our clinic as well. They have some advantages over surgery, including short hospital stay and short intensive care unit stay. The main goal of the primary interventional approach is to avoid surgery. However, a group of patients with PAIVS still need surgery due to poor right ventricular growth. Therefore, the final achievement of the initial percutaneous treatment strategies is still debatable. In this article, we present the early- and mid-term results of the percutaneous approach utilized at our clinic in order to investigate the final effects of interventional therapy according to initial morphology. Between May 2010 and May 2012, 15 neonates diagnosed with PAIVS underwent transcatheter intervention. Detailed echocardiographic examination focused on right ventricle size, and tricuspid valve morphology and coronary sinusoids were performed in all the patients before the intervention. Nine of the patients were boys and six were girls. The mean age was 11.40 ± 12.87 days and mean weight was 3.34 ± 0.46 kg. Only one procedure-related mortality occurred. The mean follow-up period was 10.05 ± 3.42 months (1-26 months). The mean duration of intensive care was 7.19 ± 5.14 days. The mean follow-up time was 10.05 ± 3.42 months. After this period, survival rate was 66% (10/15). Two of the patients achieved biventricular physiology after pulmonary valve perforation. Two patients still have univentricular physiology. Six patients have been followed as a one and half ventricle repair candidate. Five out of 15 patients had stent patency during 6 months of follow-up, while restenosis developed in one patient (1/5, 20%), who had undergone the Glenn operation at 5 months of age. Transcatheter management for PAIVS is a feasible, safe, and effective primary palliative treatment in newborns. Shunt surgery may be considered in cases where cyanosis occurs despite transcatheter intervention. Right ventricular size determines the type of intervention. The early outcomes can be comparable with surgical palliation. However, a group of PAIVS, particularly with severe right ventricular hypoplasia, needs surgery even after a successful primary percutaneous intervention.

Right atrial thrombosis and pulmonary embolism after atrial septal defect repair: could it be hereditary thrombophilia?

We read with interest the case report by Gonzalez-Calle et al. on ‘Right atrial thrombosis and pulmonary embolism after atrial septal defect repair’ [1]. Manlhiot et al. reported several factors that predispose to thrombosis after paediatric cardiac surgery. The factors that the authors suspected—tranexamic acid or foreign object—are also listed there [2]. Probably, according to the patient’s clinical course, the most acceptable reason was a foreign object, but we cannot rule out concomitant or primary hereditary thrombophilia. We think that the haematological screening performed for this patient (proteins C and S and genetic [prothrombin gene] tests) were insufficient to diagnose thrombophilia. The haematological assessment should also encompass antiphospholipid antibodies, factor V Leiden, activated protein C resistance, lupus anticoagulant, antithrombin III, fibrinogen, homocystein level and Factors II, VII, VIII and IX [3]. Perhaps the main cause of the right atrial thrombosis was hereditary thrombophilia, which was overlooked.

Levoatriocardinal vein with normal intracardiac anatomy and pulmonary venous return.

Levoatriocardinal vein (LACV) is characterized by an abnormal connection between pulmonary and systemic venous return. This extremely rare cardiac malformation is usually associated with left-sided obstructive lesions including mitral atresia, hypoplastic left-heart syndrome, and abnormal pulmonary venous connection. Patients may have low systemic cardiac output and pulmonary venous obstruction symptoms. In this manuscript, we report a case with LACV and normal pulmonary venous return with absence of any intracardiac pathology. LACV was demonstrated with echocardiography, angiography, and computed tomography. Surgical correction was made successfully.

Radiofrequency resistant pulmonary atresia with intact septum: the use of Conquest Pro 12 coronary guidewire.

Pulmonary valve atresia with intact ventricular septum, which is a rare congenital heart defect, can be treated either surgically or via transcatheter. Nowadays, in many centers, transcatheter treatment options have become the standard of care for pulmonary atresia, with an intact ventricular septum, for eligible patients. More commonly, radiofrequency wires are used for the perforation of the atretic valve, and subsequently, balloon dilatation is performed. There are limited options for radiofrequency resistant atretic valves. Here, we present the case of 5 day-old male with a radiofrequency resistant atretic pulmonary valve, where perforation was successfully achieved using a Conquest Pro 12 coronary guidewire.