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OBJECTIVES--To assess the medium-term results of total cavopulmonary shunt operations in children with left atrial isomerism, interrupted inferior vena cava, and complex congenital heart defects. BACKGROUND--Creation of a total cavopulmonary shunt provides very good interim palliation for children with interrupted inferior vena cava and complex congenital heart disease; however, longer term results after this operation have not been reported. METHODS--Detailed follow up of six children who underwent creation of a total cavopulmonary shunt at a tertiary referral centre. RESULTS--There were no early or late deaths. Oxygen saturations at discharge ranged from 89% to 92% (mean 90%). At last follow up (mean 4.7 years) saturations at rest ranged from 73% to 81% (mean 77%) (P < 0.05). All patients underwent exercise stress testing. At peak exercise oxygen saturations ranged from 62% to 87% (mean 71.5%) and during recovery from 68% to 85% (mean 78%). Cardiac catheterisation was performed in five patients with saturations of less than 80% at rest or peak exercise. No patient had pulmonary arteriovenous fistula. Systemic venous to hepatic venous collaterals were documented in four patients. These were localised below the diaphragm in three and above the diaphragm in one patient. The collateral vessel was successfully embolised in three of these patients, with a rise in resting oxygen saturations from 6 to 10% (mean 7%). CONCLUSIONS--The development of systemic venous to hepatic venous collaterals is a common complication in patients who undergo a total cavopulmonary shunt operation. This can lead to significant desaturation at rest and during exercise. Detailed angiographic studies of the infradiaphragmatic system veins is required for diagnosis. Transcatheter embolisation of such vessels gives good relief. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

OBJECTIVES--A combined atrial and arterial switch procedure was performed in selected patients with congenitally corrected transposition to establish the morphological left ventricle as the systemic ventricle. Immediate and early follow up results are presented. BACKGROUND--Progressive right ventricular dysfunction and tricuspid regurgitation are common in patients with congenitally corrected transposition who undergo repair of associated lesions. A surgical procedure which re-establishes the left ventricle as the systemic ventricle should improve functional results. METHODS--Four symptomatic children aged from 9 months to 3 years 1 month (mean 2 years 3 months) with congenitally corrected transposition and ventricular septal defect underwent both an atrial and arterial switch procedure and were followed up for a mean of 12 months (range 6-21 months). RESULTS--There were no early or late deaths. Conduction abnormalities worsened in two patients. Hospital stay ranged from 8 to 17 days (mean 13 days). The cardiothoracic ratio decreased from a mean (range) of 0.65 (0.6 to 0.71) to 0.58 (0.52 to 0.6). Currently, three patients are in functional class I and one child is in functional class II. CONCLUSIONS--The combination of an atrial and an arterial switch procedure in symptomatic children with congenitally corrected transposition establishes the left ventricle as the systemic ventricle. The initial experience is encouraging with excellent immediate and early follow up results. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Cross sectional echocardiographic studies were assessed prospectively in 58 infants in whom right ventricular outflow obstruction was subsequently shown angiographically. A subcostal cut was used to display simultaneously the short axis of the aortic root and the long axis of the right ventricular outflow tract. This facilitated the differentiation of the common right ventricular outflow tract obstructive lesions. Tetralogy of Fallot was diagnosed correctly in 22 of 26 infants; pulmonary atresia with intact septum in all of 14 neonates; isolated severe pulmonary valve stenosis in all of nine infants; and pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect in eight of nine infants. The subcostal approach is the technique of choice for evaluating right ventricular outflow tract obstruction as it is more reliable than the left parasternal approach. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The use of lignocaine in the prevention of ventricular fibrillation among patients admitted to a coronary care unit has been reviewed over the 12-year period 1967 to 1978 inclusive. The practice of suppressing warning ventricular ectopic activity has gradually been abandoned with the result that whereas in 1967 to 1968 33 per cent of all patients received lignocaine therapy, in 1972 to 1973 the number had fallen to 15 per cent, and in 1977 to 1978 to 4 per cent. The incidence of ventricular fibrillation was not significantly changed at 9.1, 7.7, and 7.8 per cent, respectively. Approximately 80 per cent of all patients suffering ventricular fibrillation within the coronary care unit were initially resuscitated and approximately 50 per cent survived hospital admission. Death was rarely a result of recurrent ventricular fibrillation and for the most part took the form of pump failure or late unexpected death. Experience suggests that the use of lignocaine to suppress ventricular ectopic activity observed in the first few hours of admission to hospital with acute myocardial infarction has no therapeutic value. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A case of cardiac tamponade secondary to a late, loculated pericardial effusion after open pulmonary valvotomy is described. Percutaneous drainage of the effusion was aided by the infusion of intrapericardial streptokinase. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In two children with the haemolytic uraemic syndrome dilated cardiomyopathy occurred in the absence of hypertension, or fluid or electrolyte disturbance. These cases presented with acute left ventricular failure. Echocardiography showed left ventricular dilatation and reduced contractility. There was also ventricular wall thickening, which persisted. Twelve other children with haemolytic uraemic syndrome had prospective echocardiography. Eleven of them showed no evidence of cardiomyopathy and in one transient dilatation and reduced contractility developed without clinical signs. Dilated cardiomyopathy is a rare but important extrarenal manifestation of the haemolytic uraemic syndrome and is best demonstrated by echocardiography. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Six weeks after cardiac catheterisation via the right femoral vein an infant underwent an anatomical correction for transposition of the great vessels and closure of a large ventricular septal defect. The patient died intraoperatively as a result of severe left ventricular dysfunction. Necropsy showed an old myocardial infarction associated with thrombosis of the circumflex coronary artery. Electron probe x ray analysis showed that foreign refractile material within the thrombus contained bismuth, an element used in the construction of some cardiac catheters. This is believed to be the first report of "paradoxical" coronary embolisation of catheter-derived material and highlights the usefulness of electron probe x ray analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]