Osamah Aldoss

Bovine arch anatomy influences recoarctation rates in the era of the extended end-to-end anastomosis

Objectives: Arch branching has never been shown to influence recoarctation after extended end‐to‐end anastomosis via thoracotomy, yet in each study bovine arch identification is grossly underreported. This study aims to (1) assess chart review reliability in bovine arch identification; (2) determine recoarctation risk with a bovine arch; and (3) explore an anatomic explanation for recurrent arch obstruction based on arch anatomy. Patients: A total of 49 consecutive patients underwent thoracotomy with extended end‐to‐end aortic coarctation repair at a single institution (2007‐2012). Methods: Echocardiograms from these patients were reviewed for arch anatomy and compared with the echocardiographic reports. Recurrent arch obstruction was defined as an echocardiographic gradient across the repair of 20 mm Hg or greater. For cases with angiographic images (n = 17), a scaled clamping distance between the left subclavian artery and the maximal proximal clamp location on orthogonal projections was then calculated across arch anatomies. Results: Chart review identified 6.1% (3/49) of patients with a bovine arch compared with 28.6% (14/49) on targeted image review. A total of 28.6% (4/14) of patients with a bovine arch had a follow‐up gradient of 20 mm Hg or greater. Only 5.7% (2/35) of patients with normal arch branching had a follow‐up gradient of 20 mm Hg or greater. The mean clamping index was significantly diminished in patients with bovine arch anatomy. Conclusions: Arch anatomy often goes undocumented on preoperative imaging, yet children undergoing extended end‐to‐end repair with bovine arch anatomy are at a significantly increased risk of recoarctation. This may be due to a reduced clampable distance to facilitate repair. These results should be considered in the preoperative assessment, parental counseling, and surgical approach for children with discrete aortic coarctation.

Hemodynamic assessment with interventional support should be routine for primary electrophysiology procedures after atrial switch procedure.

OBJECTIVES We sought to review our current philosophy that all primary invasive electrophysiologic (EP) studies in patients with atrial switch procedures (ASPs) should undergo hemodynamic evaluation and have interventional expertise available. BACKGROUND Patients who have undergone an ASP for dextro-transposition of the great arteries have a high incidence of both hemodynamic and EP sequelae. We present our data to support the combined assessment approach for these patients. METHODS Hemodynamic evaluation and interventions performed concurrently during a primary invasive EP procedure in patients with ASP were reviewed. RESULTS A total of 18 patients underwent concurrent EP invasive procedure and cardiac catheterization. The median age was 31 (14-43 years) with the majority being male (67%). Patients underwent a total of 30 concurrent primary invasive EP procedure and cardiac catheterization; 14 (47%) of the catheterization procedure were interventional. Some of the catheterization procedures required more than one intervention with total of 19 separate interventions. There were nine (47%) unexpected interventions. The majority of patients (n = 14, 77.8%) had one or more abnormal hemodynamic finding including baffle obstruction (n = 13, 72%), elevated filling pressures (n = 3, 17%), and secondary pulmonary hypertension (n = 3, 17%). Non-EP-related interventional procedures included systemic or pulmonary venous baffle stenting for significant obstruction (n = 7). EP-related interventions included transbaffle puncture for ablation of left-sided reentry circuits (n = 5), closure of previously undiagnosed baffle leaks prior to pacemaker/implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) placement to prevent paradoxical embolism (n = 3), superior baffle stenting to facilitate pacemaker/ICD lead placement (n = 2), and retrieval of retained transvenous pacemaker/ICD lead (n = 2). CONCLUSION Due to the frequency of abnormal hemodynamics or interventional needs, strong consideration for routine concurrent hemodynamic assessment and availability of interventional expertise is warranted during primary invasive EP procedures in patients post ASP.

Prograde transcatheter aortic arch intervention in patients with single-ventricle physiology: a word of caution.

OBJECTIVE We sought to review and analyze the hemodynamic derangements during prograde transcatheter aortic intervention (PTAI) in single ventricle patients. BACKGROUND Although PTAI for postsurgical recurrent coarctation in single ventricle patients has been described; hemodynamic instability during the intervention is variably reported. METHODS Pre-, intra-, and postprocedural records and outcomes of patients with SVP undergoing PTAI for post-Norwood aortic coarctation were retrospectively reviewed. The full disclosure waveform review was used to further categorize hemodynamic derangements during the intervention. RESULTS A total of 26 PTAIs were performed in 11 patients between October 2007 and December 2013. The median age and weight was 4.2 (2.3-43) months and 5.3 (3.2-15.7) kg. PTAI included balloon angioplasty (BA) in 73% of procedures (n = 19) and stent implantation (SI) in 27% (n = 7). Hemodynamic derangement was more severe in the SI group compared with the BA group. Two of seven (29%) of the SI group required cardiopulmonary resuscitation. CONCLUSIONS Hemodynamic instability during PTAI is common in patients with SVP and more profound during SI. These findings have important implications for informed consent, anesthetic considerations, inotropic support, additional central venous access, and extracorporeal support/surgical backup.

Cost analysis of combining congenital cardiac catheterization and electrophysiology procedures in an outpatient setting

Patients with congenital heart disease require multiple procedures over their lifetime. These procedures increase cost and time commitment. Previous studies in the field of medicine have shown that combining procedures is an effective method to reduce cost and time. There has been no such study to evaluate the cost and efficiency of combining pediatric cardiac procedures.

Native atrial septal restriction after Fontan palliation successfully treated with transcatheter Diabolo stent.

A 6-year-old male child born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) was palliated with an extracardiac nonfenestrated Fontan procedure (18-mm Gore-Tex tube graft). He developed low-pressure (mean Fontan pressure 10 mmHg) protein-losing enteropathy 6 months after Fontan palliation. After initially responding to medical therapy and transcatheter pulmonary artery stent implantation, he developed medically refractory protein-losing enteropathy. At this time, his transthoracic echocardiogram showed new restriction across his native atrial septum with an 8 mmHg mean gradient. Cardiac catheterization now showed high-pressure (mean Fontan pressure 18-20 mmHg) protein-losing enteropathy and a new 6 mmHg mean gradient across the atrial septum. To avoid cardiopulmonary bypass, he underwent successful transcatheter relief of atrial septal restriction and creation of a fenestration with rapid clinical and biochemical improvement of his protein-losing enteropathy.