Mohammed E. Fawzy

Long-term results of balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty of valvar pulmonic stenosis

The purpose of this paper is to document long-term results of percutaneous balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty. Forty-one patients, aged 7 days to 20 years, underwent pulmonary valvuloplasty over a 3 1/2-year period ending in April, 1987. Balloon valvuloplasty resulted in immediate reduction in the pulmonary valvar pressure gradient from 92 +/- 45 to 30 +/- 22 mm Hg (p less than 0.001). Follow-up (3 to 34 months) clinical, ECG, and echo Doppler data were available in 35 patients. Follow-up (6 to 34 months) cardiac catheterization data were available in 29 of the 35 patients. Short ejection systolic murmurs were heard in all 35, but an early diastolic decrescendo murmur was heard in only 12 patients. Based on the catheterization and Doppler data, the patients were divided into two groups: group I (30 patients) with excellent results and group II (five patients) with poor results (gradients greater than 50 mm Hg). In group I ECG right ventricular hypertrophy regressed. The echocardiographic right ventricular end-diastolic dimension (21 +/- 6 vs 15.9 +/- 4.6 mm) decreased (p less than 0.001) while the left ventricular dimension increased (p less than 0.02). Peak Doppler flow velocity in the main pulmonary artery fell from 4.0 +/- 0.8 m/sec to 2.3 +/- 0.5 m/sec (p less than 0.001). Doppler evidence for pulmonary insufficiency was present in 21 patients. Catheterization-determined pulmonary valvar gradients (24 patients) also fell from 95.6 +/- 50.3 mm Hg to 18.3 +/- 12.5 mm Hg (p less than 0.001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Balloon coarctation angioplasty in adolescents and adults : early and intermediate results

Twenty-three adolescent and adult patients with native coarctation of the aorta underwent balloon dilatation. Dissection of the aorta developed in one patient. Data were collected on the remaining 22 patients. They ranged in age from 15 to 55 years (mean 23 +/- 9.2 years). Invasive measurement of the peak systolic gradient (PSG) and biplane angiography were performed before and immediately after angioplasty and at follow-up 4 to 48 months (mean 15 months) later. PSG before dilatation was 37 to 100 mm Hg (mean 66.9 +/- 19.9 mm Hg) and decreased to 0 to 30 mm Hg (mean 9.1 +/- 11 mm Hg) immediately after dilatation (p less than 0.001). Restenosis occurred in two patients 6 months after dilatation, and one patient had an incomplete dilatation. These three patients underwent successful redilatation and remained improved 12 to 19 months later. There was no significant change in gradient at repeat catheterization in the remaining 20 patients. PSG was 0 to 20 mm Hg (mean 5.8 +/- 7.2 mm Hg). Angiography showed that a small aneurysm developed in one patient immediately after dilatation and in another 6 months later. Eleven patients were restudied more than once, and no change in gradient or size of the aneurysm was noted at mean follow-up 25 months after dilatation. This study demonstrated that balloon angioplasty is an effective method of treating adolescent and adult patient with native coarctation of the aorta. However, because of the uncertain natural history of aneurysm after dilatation, this procedure should be considered investigational until much longer follow-up times are available.

Prosthetic valves in children and adolescents

The purpose of this paper is to present the short- and long-term results of prosthetic valve replacement in children. During a 7-year period that ended in April 1985, 186 children, ages 1 to 20 years, underwent valve replacement; there were 55 (30%) aortic valve replacements, 95 (51%) mitral valve replacements, and 36 (19%) multiple valve replacements. Ninety-four percent of the lesions were rheumatic in origin, 4% were congenital, and 2% were infectious. Of 223 valves replaced, 175 (78%) were mechanical valves and 48 (22%) were heterografts; the latter were in the mitral position in all but three patients. Surgical mortality rates were 3.6%, 4.2%, and 19.4% respectively for aortic valve, mitral valve, and multiple valve replacements. Five-year actuarial survival was 91% for aortic valve replacement, 82% for mitral valve replacement and 60% for multiple valve replacement. Major events included reoperation in 34 (with three deaths), progressive myocardial failure that led to death in 10, sudden unexpected death in two, thromboembolic complications in 19 (death in five), subacute bacterial endocarditis in five (two deaths), and bleeding that required transfusion in two patients. Five-year complication-free actuarial survival rates were 83% for aortic valve replacement, 63% for mitral valve replacement, and 57% for multiple valve replacement. The respective five-year complication-free survival rates were 83%, 48%, and 43%. Significant morbidity and mortality rates are associated with valve replacement. Therefore every effort should be made to preserve the native valve by plastic reparative procedures. When prosthetic replacement of mitral valve is contemplated, our data would suggest that heterografts should not be inserted in children 15 years of age or younger, although heterografts may be used in children over 15 years of age with the expectation of valve survival comparable to that of mechanical valves. When complications that are associated with anticoagulant therapy were reviewed, platelet inhibiting drugs seem quite satisfactory in patients with aortic valve replacement; patients with mitral valve replacement seem to require warfarin therapy, and warfarin must be used in patients with multiple valve replacement to reduce the risk of thromboembolic complications.

Anticoagulant therapy in children with prosthetic valves

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and complications of several types of anticoagulant therapy in children with prosthetic valves. During a 7-year period ending April 1985, 130 children aged 1 to 19 years underwent left-sided valve replacement. Operative mortality was 3%, 5%, and 9%, respectively, for aortic, mitral, and aortic and mitral valve replacement. Among the 123 survivors, 32 (26%) had had aortic, 71 (58%) had had mitral, and 20 (16%) had had aortic and mitral valve replacement. Follow-up ranged from 2 months to 8.2 years, a total of 544 patient-years. The survivors were divided into three groups based on anticoagulant treatment: warfarin sodium, aspirin plus dipyridamole, and no anticoagulants. Among the patients who had aortic valve replacement, thromboembolic complications developed in 2.5% (2.5/100 patient-years) of the aspirin plus dipyridamole group and 5% of the group given no anticoagulants. Only the warfarin group (4%) experienced bleeding complications. Among the patients having mitral valve replacement, thromboembolic complications developed in 4% of the warfarin group, 3% of the aspirin plus dipyridamole group, and 11% of the no anticoagulant group. In addition, 2% of patients in the warfarin group experienced severe bleeding. Two fatal cerebrovascular accidents occurred, both in the aspirin plus dipyridamole group. Patients who received a mitral heterograft were not prescribed any anticoagulant medications, and no thromboembolic complications developed. Among patients having double-valve replacement, complications developed in 5% of the warfarin group and 27% of the group given no anticoagulants.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Advantage of Inoue balloon catheter in mitral balloon valvotomy: experience with 220 consecutive patients.

Percutaneous mitral balloon valvotomy (PMV) using the Inoue balloon catheter was attempted in 220 consecutive patients with severe symptomatic mitral stenosis. Their age range was 10-63 mean 30 +/- 10 years; 161 patients were females and 59 were males; 29 patients were in atrial fibrillation. Eleven patients were pregnant; 14 patients underwent previous surgical commissurotomy. The procedure was technically successfully performed in 215 (97.7%) patients. The mean fluoroscopy time was 15.5 +/- 6.4 min and mean procedure time was 109 +/- 79 min. Optimal results (group I) was achieved in 207 patients who have mitral score of 7 +/- 1. PMV resulted in decrease in left atrial pressure from 23 +/- 5 to 14 +/- 4 mm Hg (P < 0.001), the mean mitral valve gradient (MVG) decreased from 15 +/- 4 to 6 +/- 3 mm Hg (P < 0.001). The mitral valve area (MVA) by catheter increased from 0.7 +/- 0.2 to 1.7 +/- 0.5 cm2 (P < 0.001) and MVA as determined by echocardiography (2DE) increased from 0.8 +/- 0.1 to 1.9 +/- 0.3 cm2 (P < 0.001). The results were suboptimal in eight patients who have a mitral score of 10 +/- 1 (group II) MVA by catheter increased from 0.7 +/- 0.2 to 1 +/- 0.1 cm2 and Doppler MVA increased from 0.8 +/- 0.1 to 1.3 +/- 0.1 cm2. There were no deaths or thromboembolism. Two patients developed cardiac tamponade; mild mitral regurgitation (MR) developed in 24 patients (11%) and increased by one grade in another 22 patients (10%). Severe MR was encountered in three patients (1.4%). A small ASD (QP/QS < or = 1.3) was detected by oximetry in 5% of patients and by color-flow mapping in 26% of patients. One hundred fifty-eight patients from group I were followed up, for a mean of 32 +/- 12 months; MVA remained at 1.7 +/- 0.4 cm2. Seven patients developed mitral restenosis in group I, and 5 out of 8 patients developed restenosis in group II. We conclude that the hemodynamic results are good and comparable with those reported with double balloon technique. However, the Inoue balloon has several advantages over the double balloon technique: (1) low incidence of mitral regurgitation and ASDs; (2) shorter procedure and fluoroscopy time; and (3) low complication rates and the valve anatomy affects the immediate and late outcome of mitral balloon valvotomy.

Radiographic characteristics of Cook detachable and Gianturco coils as well as clinical results of transcatheter closure of the patent ductus arteriosus.

Ziel der Arbeit: Ziel der Arbeit war es, die radiologischen Charakteristika der Gianturco- und Cook-detachable-Verschlußspiralen zu beschreiben. Weiterhin sollten die klinischen Ergebnisse nach Transkatheterverschluß des offenen Duktus arteriosus vorgestellt und mit den radiographischen Befunden verglichen werden. Material und Methodik: Zwischen Januar 1994 und Juni 1997 wurde bei 82 Patienten ein Duktus arteriosus mittels Transkathetermethode verschlossen. Es kamen entweder eine Gianturco-Spirale oder ein Cook detachable coil zur Verwendung. Sowohl das Röntgenbild des Thorax als auch die echokardiographischen Befunde aller Patienten wurden beurteilt und die folgenden Parameter bestimmt: 1. der Herz-Lungen-Quotient, 2. die Position und Spiralentyp in der postero-anterioren und lateralen Projektion, 3. die Anzahl der implantierten Spiralen, 4. die Existenz eines Restshunts, 5. Dopplergeschwindigkeit in der linken Pulmonalarterie. Ergebnisse: Ein kompletter Verschluß des Duktus wurde bei 94% der Patienten erreicht. Der Herz-Lungen-Quotient verkleinerte sich signifikant von 0,57 auf 0,53 (p < 0,01) innerhalb einer Nachbeobachtungszeit von im Mittel 1,2 Jahren. Die Identifikation der verschiedenen Verschlußspiralen im Röntgenbild des Thorax war nur bei 47% aller untersuchten Fälle möglich. Die Differenzierung war besonders erschwert, wenn mehrere Spiralen gleichzeitig benutzt worden waren. Bei 55 Patienten (67%) wurde die Position der Spirale als optimal angesehen, bei 27 Patienten (33%) war sie suboptimal. Eine suboptimale Position korrelierte öfter mit einem nachweisbaren Restshunt. Multiple Spiralen korrelierten häufiger mit einer Dopplergeschwindigkeit von mehr als 1,5 m/s, gemessen über der linken Arteria pulmonalis. Schlußfolgerung: Der Spiralenverschluß des offenen Duktus arteriosus ist eine erfolgreiche Therapie und führt zu einem Abnehmen des Herz-Lungen-Quotienten im Röntgenbild des Thorax. Die radiographische Spiralenidentifikation ist möglich, kann aber schwierig sein, wenn mehrere Spiralen gleichzeitig implantiert worden waren. Eine suboptimale Spiralenposition führt signifikant häufiger zu Restshunt. Die Implantation von mehreren Spiralen war häufiger mit erhöhter Dopplergeschwindigkeit über der linken Pulmonalarterie assoziiert. Dennoch sind hämodynamisch signifikante Obstruktionen der linken Pulmonalarterie sehr selten. Purpose: To describe the radiographic appearance of the Gianturco and the Cook detachable coils and present the clinical results in patients who underwent transcatheter closure of patent ductus arteriosus. Materials and methods: Between January 1994 and June 1997, eighty-two patients underwent closure of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) using either Gianturco or Cook detachable coils. The chest x-ray and echocardiography of all patients were reviewed and the following parameters were evaluated: 1) the size of the heart (cardiothoracic ratio), 2) the position and the type of the coils in the postero-anterior and the lateral projection, 3) the number of coils used, 4) the existence of residual ductal flow, 5) Doppler velocity in the left pulmonary artery. Results: Complete occlusion was achieved in 94%, and cardio-thoracic ratio regressed from 0.57 to 0.53 (p < 0.01), after a mean follow-up of 1.2 years. The identification of the different coils on the chest radiograph was successful in only 47% of cases, difficulties arising especially, when multiple coils were used. In 55 patients (67%) the coil position was judged to be optimal, in 27 patients (33%) suboptimal. The latter correlates with the presence of residual shunt. Multiple coils correlated more with a left pulmonary artery flow velocity exceeding 1.5 m/s. Conclusion: Coil-occlusion of patent ductus arteriosus is effective and leads to reduced cardio-thoracic ratio. Radiographic coil identification is possible but may be difficult if multiple coils are deployed. Suboptimal coil position led more often to residual PDA shunt. Multiple coils are more commonly associated with increased LPA velocities, but hemodynamic significant obstruction to flow is rare.

Reassessment of usefulness of porcine heterografts in mitral position in children

SummaryThe use of porcine heterograft valves in children is restricted because of valve calcification and dysfunction at follo-up. Because of inability to monitor the anticoagulant status or of desire of some teenage girls to get married and get pregnant, several pediatric patients received porcine heterografts. The purpose of this paper is to examine the issue of heterografts in children, based on our experience with children and adolescents aged 1 to 20 years, who underwent left heart valve replacement during a 7-year period ending April 1985. Ninety-four percent of the lesions were rheumatic in origin, 4% congenital, and 2% infectious. Of 168 mitral valves replaced, 54 (32%) were porcine heterografts and 114 (68%) were mechanical valves. These were divided into four groups, based on type of valve implanted and age at implantation: mechanical (M), age >15 years (M>15), 49 cases; heterografts (H) age >15 years (H>15), 34 cases; mechanical, age <-15 years (M<-15), 65 cases; and heterografts, age <-15 years (H<-15), 20 cases. None of the patients with heterografts received anticoagulation. Five-year actuarial valve survival was 86% for M>15, 96% for H>15, 82% for M<-15, and 60% for H<-15. The respective 9-year valve survival was 86%, 72%, 75%, and 18%. The valve survival data indicate that heterograft valves in patients older than 15 years are comparable (p=0.97) to mechanical valves, while heterografts in children less 15 years do poorly (p=0.015). Based on 8- to 10-year follow-up data, heterografts should not be inserted into children <-15 years of age. Heterografts may be used in children over 15 years of age with the expectation of valve survival comparable to that of mechanical valves and with little or no threat of thromboembolic complications.

Clinical results and radiographic appearance of the Rashkind double umbrella device in patients with occlusion of the ductus arteriosus

Background. The Rashkind double umbrella device for patent arterial duct occlusion has been used in many patients. Its radiographic appearance has not been sufficiently described. Objective. To present the varying radiographic appearances of the Rashkind double umbrella device on the chest X-ray. Materials and methods. The chest radiographs of 69 patients (median age 60 months; median weight 17 kg), who underwent closure of their patent arterial duct between March 1990 and August 1994, were reviewed. The following parameters were evaluated: 1) the size of the heart (cardio-thoracic ratio) and pulmonary vessels, 2) the position of the device in AP/PA and lateral projections. The results of occlusion of the patent arterial duct were also reviewed. Results. Sixty-two of 69 (90 %) pa- tients had complete occlusion after a follow-up between 2 months and 31/2 years. The cardio-thoracic ratio showed significant reduction at follow-up (P < 0.001). The two different size devices could be well differentiated in the AP and the lateral projection. In 14 patients (20 %) the device was in an asymmetrical position. There was no significant correlation between position of the device and success of occlusion in our material. Conclusion. Complete occlusion of the arterial duct using Rashkind double umbrella devices can be achieved in 90 % of our population. In 20 % the device will have an asymmetrical position. There is no correlation between asymmetrical position of the device in the chest radiograph and residual shunting.