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Arterial cannulation is routinely performed in children undergoing cardiac surgery to aid the intraoperative and intensive care management. Most commonly cannulated peripheral site in children is radial artery, and alternatives include posterior tibial, dorsalis pedis, and rarely superficial temporal artery (STA). Two specific situations in cardiac surgery where STA cannulation and monitoring was useful during the surgical procedure are reported. To our knowledge, such selective use of STA pressure monitoring has not been reported in the literature previously. Our experience suggests that STA monitoring can be useful and reliable during repair of coarctation of aorta or administration of anterograde cerebral perfusion in patients having associated aberrant origin of the right subclavian artery.

Objective We aimed to identify characteristics differentiating children undergoing aortic valve replacement by using mechanical prostheses versus the Ross procedure and to compare survival and the need for aortic valve reoperation after each procedure. Methods From 1983 to 2004, 346 children underwent aortic valve replacement (215 underwent the Ross procedure and 131 underwent placement of a mechanical prosthesis). Factors associated with procedure choice were used to construct a propensity score for use as a covariate in regression models to adjust for potential confounding by indication. Results Patients undergoing the Ross procedure were younger, more likely to have a congenital cause, and less likely to have a rheumatic or connective tissue cause. They had a lower frequency of regurgitation, required more annular enlargement, and had less concomitant cardiac surgery. Competing-risk analysis showed that 16 years after aortic valve replacement, 20% of patients had died without subsequent aortic valve replacement, 25% underwent second aortic valve replacement, and 55% remained alive without further replacement. After propensity adjustment, factors associated with early-phase death included mechanical valves and a nonrheumatic cause. Mechanical valves were also associated with constant-phase mortality. Repeated aortic valve replacement was associated with the Ross procedure and a rheumatic cause. Both factors were also associated with all-cause cardiac reoperation. In children receiving mechanical prostheses, younger age and smaller valve size were significant risk factors for death. Freedom from homograft replacement after the Ross procedure was 82% at 16 years of follow-up. Conclusion Results from this study showed good outcomes and an acceptable complication rate with both valve choices. Given the significantly increased risk of early and late death in younger children receiving smaller mechanical valves, the Ross procedure confers survival advantage in this age group at the expense of increased reoperation risk, especially in patients with a rheumatic cause.

ObjectiveWe examined outcomes after mitral valve replacement in children younger than 8 years.MethodsMedical records of patients who underwent mitral valve replacement from 1990 to 2006 were reviewed. Competing-risks methodology determined time-related prevalence and associated factors for death, repeated valve replacement, and survival without reoperation.ResultsIn total, 79 patients, median age 24 months (40 days–8 years) underwent 91 mitral valve replacements (10 had repeated procedures). Underlying pathology was congenital heart disease in 95% of cases. Forty-six patients (58%) had undergone previous operations. Operative mortality was 18%, 30% for those 2-years old and younger and 6% for those older than 2 years. Competing-risks analysis showed that 10 years after initial mitral valve replacement, 40% of patients had died without repeated replacement, 20% had undergone a second replacement, and 40% remained alive without further replacement. Factors associated with death included higher prosthesis size/patient weight ratio (P < .0001) and longer crossclamp time (P < .0001). Second replacement 6 ± 4 years after initial replacement was necessary for 10 survivors. At second replacement, larger prostheses were implanted (mean 24 mm vs 19 mm initially). Repeated MVR was associated with younger age at surgery (p = .006). Permanent pacemaker implantation was eventually needed by 11% of hospital survivors.ConclusionsMortality and repeated valve replacement are common after mitral valve replacement in children younger than 8 years, especially younger patients with significantly oversized valves. At valve reoperation, larger prostheses could be implanted, suggesting continued annular growth.