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It is not always easy to distinguish between supraventricular tachycardia with aberration and ventricular tachycardia by electrocardiographic analysis alone. M mode echocardiography can often help by providing direct or indirect evidence of the relation between atrial and ventricular contraction. Sixteen consecutive patients with spontaneous sustained broad QRS complex tachycardia with heart rates of 120-225 beats/minute were examined. Echocardiographic evidence of 1:1 conduction was seen in three cases and 2:1 atrioventricular conduction in one (all four had supraventricular tachycardia, confirmed by intracardiac electrocardiography in three). Evidence of retrograde block was seen in 12 (all had ventricular tachycardia, with electrophysiological confirmation in 10). Satisfactory views of the mitral valve were obtained in all patients. Patients with ventricular tachycardia had a variable mitral valve opening time (range 42-110%) compared with those who had supraventricular tachycardia (9-15%). Aortic root and left atrial views gave direct evidence of atrial contraction in three cases, and subcostal right atrial wall views were diagnostic in four of five cases. Seven patients with ventricular tachycardia had been wrongly diagnosed elsewhere as having supraventricular tachycardia. This study confirms that echocardiography is a simple and rapid aid to accurate diagnosis in patients with broad QRS complex tachycardia. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Ten hearts were cut in planes to simulate echocardiographic cuts which may be taken to visualise the anatomy of the cardiac chambers and great arteries. The various myocardial wall segments were named from these sections by referring to their position in the reconstituted heart. The sections were studied in their correct anatomical position. In this way they provide a reference for appropriate orientation of echocardiographic images. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

To evaluate the ability of two dimensional echocardiography to identify and classify ventricular septal defects, 280 infants and children with clinically significant ventricular septal defects were studied. Multiple precordial and subcostal echocardiographic planes were scanned in each patient in an attempt to identify the defects. Defects visualised were classified on the basis of the structures which formed their margins. Subsequent correlation of this information with angiographic (280 patients), surgical (130 patients), and pathological (31 patients) data confirmed that defects in the following sites produced a specific two dimensional echocardiographic pattern. (a) Perimembranous inlet, (b) perimembranous outlet, (c) muscular inlet, (d) single trabecular, (e) muscular outlet, and (f) doubly committed subarterial. A defect was identified and correctly classified in 252 patients. Individual defects were identified with varying degrees of accuracy. All subarterial (24 patients) defects were correctly identified and classified, as were muscular defects of the inlet (18 patients) and outlet (six patients) septa. Of the 185 perimembranous defects, 182 were identified. Only 23 of the 43 single trabecular defects were identified. Small multiple ("Swiss cheese") defects (four patients) were not identified. We conclude that two dimensional echocardiography provides a reliable non-invasive method of identifying and classifying the following ventricular septal defects: (a) perimembranous defects, (b) doubly committed subarterial defects, and (c) muscular defects of the inlet and outlet septa. In our experience it fails consistently to visualise defects in the trabecular septum. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A case is described of congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries (atrioventricular discordance, ventriculoarterial discordance) with interrupted aortic arch, a previously unreported association. Aortic continuity was achieved by direct surgical anastomosis. Pulmonary artery banding was subsequently necessary, because of heart failure associated with a large ventricular septal defect. A possible pathogenetic mechanism is suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Twenty-three patients with total anomalous pulmonary venous connection were studied by two-dimensional echocardiography. In all cases the diagnosis was made before invasive procedures, with surgical or angiocardiographic confirmation. Eleven patients had supracardiac drainage (three to the coronary sinus, two to the right atrium,) and seven had infracardiac drainage. In the majority of cases the precise pattern of drainage could be identified by combining suprasternal, praecordial, and subcostal views. In 12 cases where the suprasternal cut was used a pulmonary venous confluence could be identified, having a cross-like structure in nine, with three others appearing as a dilated channel behind and separate from the left atrium. Thus, two-dimensional echocardiography reliably makes the diagnosis of total anomalous pulmonary venous connection and in the majority the precise pattern of drainage can be determined. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Fifty-two patients with pure mitral stenosis (27 with severe stenosis and 25 with mild stenosis) were studied to assess the ability of different M-mode echocardiographic measurements to separate mild and severe disease. Variables related to valve motion, for example diastolic closure rate, the mitral valve closure index, and the amplitude of valve motion, accurately divided patients with mitral stenosis from normal subjects but did not distinguish usefully between mild and severe disease. In contrast, variables dependent on left ventricular dimension change in diastole, for example the rapid filling period and the peak rate of left ventricular diastolic dimension change, accurately separated mild and severe disease. No patient with severe mitral stenosis had a rapid filling period, whereas 21 of the 25 patients with mild disease did have one. The peak rate of left ventricular diastolic dimension change was less than 10 cm/s or less than 2.4 cm/s per cm when normalised for left ventricular dimension in all patients with severe disease and in only six of the 25 patients with mild disease. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Thirty children aged from 7 weeks to 14 years were examined by echocardiography after Mustard's operation for transposition of the great arteries. Discrete and persitent echoes were noted within the original left atrial cavity and contrast echocardiography was used to establish that these originated from the interatrial baffle. In the presence of caval channel obstruction, caused by malposition or shrinkage of the baffle, significant differences were seen in the echocardiographic appearances of the baffle, namely limitation of baffle motion, thickening, and multiplicity of the baffle echoes. These findings suggest that the technique may be of value in the postoperative assessment of patients with transposition of the great arteries. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The angiocardiographic, echocardiographic, and, where available, the necropsy findings were correlated in 32 cases of primitive ventricle. Single probe echocardiography was shown to be a reliable and accurate technique for diagnosis of primitive ventricle; the ventricular and atrioventricular valve appearances were characteristic, and the outlet chamber was usually recognised when present, though it was not possible to say whether it was rigt or left sided. Abnormalities of the atrioventricular valves were more accurately shown by echocardiography than by angiocardiography though the two techniques were shown to be complementary in the overall diagnostic process. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Echocardiography has been shown to be a reliable method for estimating left ventricular size and function in adults, but little attention has been paid to its application to infants and children. This paper describes a validatory study in 40 children aged between 4 days and 16 years. There was a significant correlation between angiocardiographic and echocardiographic estimates of left ventricular end-diastolic volume (r=0.76), left ventricular end-systolic volume (r=0.68), and ejection fraction (r=0.73). Left ventricular mean circumferential shortening rate (mean Vcf), however, gave the mostsignificant correlation (r=0.91). These findings indicate that while care must be exercised in interpreting indices of left ventricular size and performance derived from echocardiography, these measurements, and in particular mean Vcf, do offer a useful and reliable means of assessing left ventricular function in infants and children. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A validatory study of quantitative single plane left ventricular cineangiography is presented, using human left ventricular casts ranging in size from 1.6 to 135 ml. Good correlation was found between actual and calculated volumes (r=0.967). 62 patient studies were carried out and the value of the usually calculated indices of left ventricular performance were compared to one another. Ejection fraction and mean rate of circumferential fibre shortening (mean Vcf) were found to be the best discriminators of abnormal left ventricular function, and, on the basis of the presented data, it is suggested that mean Vcf is the more sensitive index of left ventricular performance. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The Eighth Survey of Staffing in Cardiology was conducted with an index date of 30 September 1992. The total number of cardiologists in England and Wales, defined as individuals trained in the specialty and spending at least 40% of their professional time working in it, was 358. Of these 11 were part time, defined as six sessions or less, giving a number in whole time (or near whole time) equivalents of 352.5. The number of individuals increased from 1991 by 18 (5.3%). There were 71 cardiologists in Scotland and Northern Ireland, making a total for the United Kingdom of 429 individuals (423.5 whole time equivalents), which is 7.3 per million population. A total of 44 Districts serving 8.8 million people have no resident cardiologist. There has been little improvement since the 1991 survey. An additional 34 Districts with populations greater than 250,000 have only one cardiologist: we have clear evidence of inadequate provision of care in most of these, a situation that is inevitable within the resources provided. A wider threat to the provision of a satisfactory level of cardiological care throughout the United Kingdom will follow from changes in the organisation of the National Health Service and in the new requirements for training of future cardiologists because these changes will make major new demands on consultant time which cannot be met within existing resources. A crisis will be averted only if a rapid and major expansion of the consultant grade can be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

OBJECTIVE--To identify coronary artery anomalies in patients with tetralogy of Fallot with an aortogram taken with steep caudal and left oblique angulation ("end-on" aortogram). DESIGN--Prospective evaluation of end-on aortogram in the preoperative angiographic assessment of consecutive patients with tetralogy of Fallot. SETTING--Regional paediatric cardiology centre. PATIENTS--34 patients, aged 3 months to 12 years (median age 9 months). METHODS--An aortogram was performed with steep caudal (38 degrees-45 degrees) and left oblique (0 degrees-30 degrees) angulation under general anaesthetic as part of routine preoperative angiographic assessment. RESULTS--The origins and courses of the coronary arteries were visualised in all patients and important coronary artery anomalies were identified in four patients: single left coronary artery; single right coronary artery (two patients); separate high origin of left anterior descending. These anomalous coronary vessels crossed the right ventricular outflow tract. CONCLUSIONS--It is important to identify preoperatively coronary arteries that may interfere with right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction. An aortogram with steep caudal and left oblique angulation is useful in identifying anomalous coronary arteries and more importantly it defines the relation of these vessels to the right ventricular outflow tract. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

OBJECTIVE--To assess the feasibility of pulmonary artery banding, atrial septectomy or septostomy, and percutaneous stenting of the arterial duct in babies with the hypoplastic left heart syndrome. PATIENTS--Four infants with hypoplastic left heart syndrome. SETTING--Two supraregional paediatric cardiac centres. METHODS--Ductal patency was maintained initially with prostaglandin E. Banding of the proximal branch pulmonary arteries was performed through a median sternotomy and open atrial septectomy was performed if balloon septostomy was not. Stainless steel stents (Johnson & Johnson) mounted in a balloon catheter were implanted into the arterial duct under radiographic control and expanded to a diameter of approximately 8 mm, prostaglandin treatment was then stopped. RESULTS--All the patients survived the immediate postoperative period and maintenance of wide ductal patency was achieved in three of the four patients by stent implantation. Two weeks after the procedure two babies died of right ventricular failure and respiratory infection: some distal ductal constriction had occurred in one where the stent was not quite sufficiently distally placed. One child was discharged home 15 days after treatment and was well at follow up at age 16 weeks and one was stable but required diuretic therapy five weeks after the procedure. CONCLUSIONS--This new approach is technically feasible. At least in the short term it seems to offer hope of effective palliation for the hypoplastic left heart syndrome and it warrants further study. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Balloon dilatation of the aortic valve was attempted in 34 consecutive children aged 16 months to 17 years (median 7 years), weight range 9-60 (median 22) kg. Previous surgical valvotomy had been performed in two patients (twice in one of them). The valve was not crossed in one patient. In the remaining 33 patients the pressure difference between the left ventricle and the ascending aorta during systole was reduced from 71 (30) to 28 (19) mm Hg. In 24 patients recatheterisation 2-19 (mean 9) months later showed gradients that were similar to those immediately after balloon dilatation (35 (20) v 31 (20) mm Hg). The two patients with the highest residual gradients immediately after balloon dilatation showed a spontaneous reduction in gradient at repeat catheterisation, whereas the patient who had twice had previous surgical valvotomy showed an increase in gradient from 37 to 99 mm Hg over nine months and required aortic root replacement. Balloon dilatation was repeated in two patients and this caused a further reduction in gradient. New aortic regurgitation occurred in nine (27%) patients (grade I, 8; grade II, 1) and aortic regurgitation was exacerbated (grade I to II) in two of the nine with pre-existing aortic regurgitation. External iliac artery avulsion occurred in one (3%) patient and two (6%) required intravenous streptokinase because the femoral artery became occluded. There were no other complications. Open valvotomy was performed in the child in whom the valve was not crossed, but no other child required aortic valve operation. Balloon dilatation of the aortic valve gave reasonable short term palliation and was well tolerated. It is an alternative to surgical valvotomy for initial palliation of congenital aortic stenosis in many children. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The variability of Doppler echocardiographic estimation of cardiac output at the aortic orifice was investigated in eight healthy subjects. Cross sectional echocardiograms of the aortic orifice and aortic Doppler velocities were recorded and measured by four echocardiographers. Between subject variability was significantly larger than within subject variability for all variables. Variability owing to different echocardiographers and different measurement times was small compared with total variability. Coefficients of variation for aortic annular diameter, aortic velocity integral, and heart rate were 4.1%, 6.4%, and 5.0% respectively. The coefficient of variation for cardiac output was 8.8% and the 95% confidence interval for measurement of cardiac output by the Doppler method was 4.45 to 6.35 l/min. One echocardiographer reanalysed all the recordings and the results showed that recording the echocardiograms introduces a significantly larger source of error than measuring them. Thus serial measurements of cardiac output by the Doppler method can be performed with acceptable reproducibility; this indicates that the technique can be accurately applied in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Fifteen patients aged 1-19 years (mean 10.9) with previously unoperated aortic coarctation underwent percutaneous balloon angioplasty between January 1985 and February 1986. Nine (60%) were hypertensive at presentation. Under general anaesthetic the systolic coarctation gradient was 24-50 mm Hg (mean 29) and the coarctation diameter was 4-9 mm (mean 5.5). Meditech balloon catheters 8-18 mm in diameter were inflated 1-4 times at 410-760 kPa. After dilatation the systolic coarctation gradient decreased to 0-20 mm Hg (mean 6) and the coarctation diameter increased to 7-20 mm (mean 12). One patient developed a fusiform aneurysm of the aorta at the coarctation site immediately after the procedure. At reinvestigation 6-16 months (mean 12.5) after dilatation 14 of the 15 patients were normotensive. In 13 patients the residual coarctation gradient was 0-10 mm Hg (mean 3). Two patients had recoarctation with residual gradients of 20 and 24 mm Hg and underwent successful repeat dilatation. One patient had developed a small discrete aneurysm at the coarctation site. Balloon angioplasty is thus a safe and effective method of relieving unoperated aortic coarctation. The frequency of aortic aneurysm and recoarctation is small and probably related to balloon size. This early experience is encouraging, but long term results and further experience are required before this approach is used to treat coarctation generally. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The constant anatomical relation of the aortic arch and the pulmonary artery bifurcation permits echocardiographic differentiation of the two great arteries when viewed from the suprasternal notch. When this technique was employed with contrast echocardiography in 12 infants, 6 of whom had ventriculo-arterial discordance (transposition of the great arteries), it was possible to establish with certainty in all but 1 case which great artery was most directly connected to the systemic venous return. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A case of total anomalous pulmonary venous connection to the portal vein is described. The diagnosis was suspected clinically, supported by the echocardiogram, and confirmed by cardiac catheterisation, angiocardiography, and contrast echocardiography. An echo-free space lying behind the left atrium initially was thought to represent the common pulmonary vein. However, contrast echocardiography showed that this space was not the anomalous vein but probably an artefact. This paper shows that the origins of intracardiac echoes cannot always be assumed from a simple comparison of echocardiography with angiocardiographic or necropsy findings. In some cases it is necessary to introduce a marker into the echocardiogram which unequivocally originates from, and, therefore, localises, the structure under examination. Contrast echocardiography provides such a marker. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Three patients with complex cyanotic congenital heart disease, who had previously undergone Blalock-Taussig shunt operations, developed severe stenoses at the pulmonary anastomosis of the shunts. All were successfully treated with balloon dilatation, which can thus be considered an effective alternative to reoperation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Twenty three patients with fragile X syndrome underwent cardiovascular assessment. Echocardiography showed dilatation of the aortic root in 12 (52%) and mitral valve prolapse in five (22%), four of whom had an apical mid-systolic click on auscultation. Patients with fragile X syndrome have cardiac defects similar to those seen in other disorders of connective tissue such as Marfan's syndrome and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. These, and other somatic features, suggest an underlying connective tissue dysplasia. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Percutaneous balloon dilatation of a stenosed Ionescu-Shiley bioprosthesis in the tricuspid valve position was performed twice in a 19 year old woman. On each occasion there was a considerable improvement in symptoms and haemodynamic function but the effect lasted for only a few months. When the valve was excised it showed no evidence of the previous balloon dilatations. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Myocardial infarction and left ventricular failure developed within hours of ligation of a large arterial duct in a four week old infant. Anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery was confirmed by echocardiography. Despite emergency translocation of the anomalous coronary artery the patient died. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The first haemodynamic change during pregnancy seems to be a rise in heart rate. Starting between two and five weeks this continues well into the third trimester. Stroke volume increases slightly later than the heart rate and continues throughout the second trimester after an augmentation of venous return and a fall of systemic vascular resistance and afterload. Myocardial contractility is probably slightly increased. During the third trimester there is relatively little change in these cardiac indices. After delivery there is a very early and dramatic reduction in volume loading followed by a return towards normal cardiac output. Structural changes within the heart reflect the volume loading of pregnancy and include dilatation of the valve ring and increase in myocardial thickness. Post partum resolution of the ventricular hypertrophy seems to take longer than the rest of the post partum changes. The resemblance to the cardiovascular changes associated with training and exercise are fascinating and worthy of further study.