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OBJECTIVES: Residual right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) obstruction (RVOTO) is considered beneficial in patients after repair of tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) although underlying mechanisms are unknown. We sought to elucidate differences in myocardial strain and dyssynchrony parameters in patients after TOF repair with and without residual RVOTO using cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) feature-tracking (CMR-FT) analysis. METHODS: Fifty-four patients (mean age 16.4 ± 8.4 years) were assessed by CMR 14.2 ± 7.3 years after repair of TOF. Residual RVOTO on echocardiography was defined as a peak systolic RVOT gradient >25 mmHg and was present in 27 patients (no RVOTO in n = 27 patients). Right ventricular (RV) and left ventricular (LV) strain measurements were performed using CMR-FT software. RESULTS: The two groups were well matched for age at CMR scan, time and type of surgical repair. There was no difference in the degree of pulmonary regurgitation (PR) and RV end-diastolic volume. Patients with RVOTO showed significant higher RV circumferential strain (CS) (P = 0.02) and RV radial strain (RS) (P = 0.02) values, whereas RV longitudinal strain (LS) did not differ between the two groups (P = 0.39). The degree of RVOTO showed a significant correlation with RV-CS (r = 0.37; P = 0.006) and RV-RS (r = 0.30; P = 0.03) while RV-LS was unrelated to RVOTO (r = 0.06; P = 0.68). Significant relationships between RV and LV strain parameters were only found in the RVOTO group. Interventricular dyssynchrony was significantly higher in the group without RVOTO (P = 0.03) while LV-LS (P = 0.03) and LV intraventricular synchrony (P = 0.05) were impaired in the RVOTO group. CONCLUSIONS: In patients after TOF repair, residual RVOTO seems to preserve RV strain and results in stronger RV-LV interactions and less interventricular dyssynchrony and may therefore possess an early protective effect on RV remodelling. However, the potential negative impact of residual pulmonary stenosis on LV strain and intraventricular synchrony needs further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study objective was to analyze outcomes of the hybrid strategy for ductal-dependent systemic circulation consisting of bilateral pulmonary artery banding with or without ductal stenting followed by delayed Norwood-type palliation or comprehensive stage II operation in high-risk neonates. A retrospective analysis was performed between December 2017 and March 2021. Thirty high-risk neonates underwent palliation with bilateral pulmonary artery banding: 11 with prostaglandin therapy and 19 with ductal stenting. Median (range) age and body weight of patients at hybrid stage I were 3 days (0-43) and 2.9 kg (1.1-4.2), respectively. Operative and interstage mortality, morbidity, and reintervention rates were assessed. Overall survival was 70% (21/30) at a median follow-up time of 9 months (range, 0-37) from hybrid stage I. Operative survival for hybrid stage I was 90% (27/30), of which 2 patients received palliative care, and there was 1 interstage death (4%, 1/27). After hybrid stage I, 37% of patients had a reintervention, and 3% (n = 1) used extracorporeal membrane oxygenation before the next stage of repair. Five patients are awaiting second-stage operation, and 9 patients are awaiting Fontan completion. High-risk neonates with hypoplastic left heart syndrome or its variants can be successfully palliated using the hybrid strategy and bridged to a delayed Norwood or comprehensive stage II operation with satisfactory survival. This operative approach is a promising alternative pathway for neonates deemed to be high risk due to multiple preoperative risk factors. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the prevalence of and risk factors for cerebral sinus venous thrombosis (CSVT) in neonates undergoing congenital heart disease (CHD) repair.Study Design: Neonates who had CHD repair with cardiopulmonary bypass and postoperative brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) between 2013 and 2019 at a single tertiary care center were identified from institutional databases. Demographic, clinical, and surgical data were abstracted from these databases and from the medical record; 278 neonates with CHD had cardiopulmonary bypass, 184 of whom had a postoperative brain MRI.Results: Eight patients (4.3%) had a CSVT. Transposition of the great arteries with an intact ventricular septum (P < .01) and interrupted aortic arch (P = .02) were associated with an increased risk for CSVT. Other risk factors for CSVT included cross-clamp time (98 [IQR, 77.5-120] minutes vs 67 [IQR, 44-102] minutes; P = .03), units of platelets (3.63 [IQR, 3-4] vs 2.17 [IQR, 1-4]; P < .01) and packed red blood cells (0.81 [IQR, 0.25-1] vs 1.21 [IQR, 1-1]; P = .03) transfused intraoperatively, and time between surgery and MRI (10 [IQR, 7-12.5] days vs 20 [IQR, 12-35] days; P < .01). Five patients (62.5%) were treated with anticoagulation. All patients had complete or partial resolution of their CSVT, regardless of treatment.Conclusions: Brain MRI after cardiopulmonary bypass in neonates revealed a low prevalence of CSVT (4.3%). Further studies are needed to establish best practices for surveillance, prevention, and treatment of CSVT in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on a case involving a 10-month-old infant who received prolonged ECMO therapy following cardiac surgery for multiple ventricular septal defects (VSD). The patient was successfully weaned from 92 days of ECMO support without any long-term deficits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The study objective was to compare the incidence of short- and intermediate-term arrhythmias among 3 different surgical modifications of the Fontan procedure. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of all patients who underwent the Fontan operation at a single institution between January 2004 and May 2010 for preoperative, perioperative, and follow-up variables. Three surgical modifications were studied: intra/extracardiac conduit with limited atriotomy, standard extracardiac conduit, and lateral tunnel. Rhythm was classified as normal or abnormal. A rhythm dysfunction grading was devised and used to identify worsening of rhythm for patients with abnormal rhythm preoperatively. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine predictors of abnormal rhythm. To eliminate confounding effects of transient immediate postoperative arrhythmias, data were analyzed for abnormal rhythm within the first 2 weeks and for more than 2 weeks after surgery. Results: Of the 134 patients (n = 50 with intra/extracardiac conduit with limited atriotomy, n = 19 with standard extracardiac conduit, n = 65 with lateral tunnel) (median follow-up, 36 months; interquartile range, 22–50 months; 2 operative deaths and 6 late deaths), rhythm data for more than 2 weeks postoperatively were available in 88 (40 with lateral tunnel, 14 with standard extracardiac conduit, 34 with intra/extracardiac conduit with limited atriotomy). These patients constituted the study groups. Patients in the lateral tunnel group were relatively younger at the time of the Fontan operation (P < .001) and had a longer follow-up (P < .001). Multivariable logistic regression confirmed that greater than moderate atrioventricular valve regurgitation was the only independent predictor of abnormal rhythm during the first 2 postoperative weeks. Older age at Fontan (odds ratio, 1.20; 95% confidence interval, 1.05–1.38; P = .012) and higher preoperative mean pulmonary artery pressure (odds ratio, 1.2; 95% confidence interval, 1.03–1.44; P = .026) were predictors of abnormal rhythm more than 2 weeks postoperatively. Intra/extracardiac conduit with limited atriotomy Fontan modification was associated with a significantly lower incidence of abnormal rhythm after 2 weeks postoperatively compared with lateral tunnel modification (odds ratio, 0.28; 95% confidence interval, 0.10–0.84; P = .015). Conclusions: Intra/extracardiac conduit with limited atriotomy Fontan modification has a significantly lower risk of abnormal rhythm postoperatively in the short and intermediate term when compared with the lateral tunnel. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: Stem cell therapy has gained great attraction in the treatment of acute and chronic myocardial diseases in recent years. The aim was to evaluate our experience in light of the middle term results of intramyocardial stem cell treatment with concomitant coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) since 2001. Methods: After encouraging initial results of the Phase I (safety) trial with the first 15 patients, a prospective, controlled Phase II (efficacy) study was begun with 40 patients aiming to determine functional benefit of stem cell treatment using bone marrow derived CD 133+ stem cell therapy with concomitant CABG in comparison to CABG only since 2003. Medium-term results of intervention were evaluated using patient's clinical findings, Holter monitoring, echocardiography, magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography and myocardial scintigraphy. Statistical analyses were performed using unpaired t, Mann-Whitney U, ANOVA for repeated measurements and Chi-square tests. Results: Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) has increased significantly at 6th and 18th months follow-up in the first 15 patients who received therapy since 2001 (preoperative: 39.0±8.7%; 6th month: 50.2±8.5% and 18th month: 47.9±6.0%; p=0.012). In the late group of patients, LVEF increased from 37.4±8.4% to 47.1±8.3% (p<0.001) whilst although an increase in LVEF has been observed in the CABG alone group (from 37.9±10.3% to 41.3±9.1%) the increase has not been statistically significant. Mortality occurred in 2 patients [1 patient from the early and 1 patient from the medium term follow-up] due to non-cardiac reasons. Myocardial calcification, lethal ventricular arrhythmia, and tumor formation have not been observed in any of the patients in the long-term follow up. Conclusion: Direct injection of bone marrow derived CD 133+ stem cells into the myocardium with concomitant CABG is safe. However, this treatment modality may only be applied as standard treatment after completion of the long term detailed results of prospective, randomized multicenter trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nearly 1% of babies are born with congenital heart disease—many of whom will require heart surgery within the first few years of life. A detailed understanding of cardiac maturation can help to expand our knowledge on cardiac diseases that develop during gestation, identify age-appropriate drug therapies, and inform clinical care decisions related to surgical repair and postoperative management. Yet, to date, our knowledge of the temporal changes that cardiomyocytes undergo during postnatal development is limited. In this study, we collected right atrial tissue samples from pediatric patients (n = 117) undergoing heart surgery. Patients were stratified into five age groups. We measured age-dependent adaptations in cardiac gene expression and used computational modeling to simulate action potential and calcium transients. Enrichment of differentially expressed genes revealed age-dependent changes in several key biological processes (e.g., cell cycle, structural organization), cardiac ion channels, and calcium handling genes. Gene-associated changes in ionic currents exhibited age-dependent trends, with changes in calcium handling (INCX) and repolarization (IK1) most strongly associated with an age-dependent decrease in the action potential plateau potential and increase in triangulation, respectively. We observed a shift in repolarization reserve, with lower IKr expression in younger patients, a finding potentially tied to an increased amplitude of IKs that could be triggered by elevated sympathetic activation in pediatric patients. Collectively, this study provides valuable insights into age-dependent changes in human cardiac gene expression and electrophysiology, shedding light on molecular mechanisms underlying cardiac maturation and function throughout development. NEW & NOTEWORTHY: To date, our knowledge of the temporal changes that cardiomyocytes undergo during postnatal development is limited. In this study, we demonstrate age-dependent adaptations in the gene expression profile of >100 atrial tissue samples collected from congenital heart disease patients. We coupled transcriptomics datasets with computational modeling to simulate action potentials and calcium transients for different pediatric age groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bilateral pneumothoraces are a very rare event. In clinical settings, inadvertent incursion into the pleural space resulting from diagnostic or therapeutic medical interventions such as bilateral venipunctures or damage to the lung parenchyma due to high pressure ventilation may be causative. Bilateral pneumothoraces postcardiac surgery are rarely reported. We present the case of bilateral tension pneumothoraces leading up to cardiorespiratory arrest in a 57-year-oldmale, weighing 130 kg, who underwent without any complications a coronary artery bypass surgery. Thoracic chest tubes (retrosternal and intrapericardial) and a left pleural tube were removed 24 hours prior to the incident. Diffuse sternal pain sensation accompanied by slow progressive respiratory distress and confusion shortly before the incident were all developed over a period of 12 hours. A prompt cardiopulmonary resuscitation and bilateral chest tube insertion had prevented a fatality in the patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although surgical repair of an anomalous aortic origin of the coronary artery has low operative mortality, longer-term risk of ischemia and aortic regurgitation remains concerning. We routinely perform aortic commissure resuspension after unroofing and sought to evaluate the outcomes with regard to aortic valve competence, symptoms, and signs of ischemia with this approach. Twenty-six consecutive patients who received the unroofing procedure for anomalous aortic origin of the coronary artery (10 left; 16 right) between 2004 and 2016 were reviewed. In addition to complete unroofing of the intramural coronary, patients early in the cohort (n = 9) received unroofing only, and aortic commissural resuspension was performed routinely in the subsequent patients (n = 17). Outcomes between commissural resuspension versus no commissural resuspension were compared. The occurrence of mild and greater aortic regurgitation was assessed using a time-to-event analysis after varying lengths of time. Commissural resuspension was considered as the predictor, and the groups were compared using a log-rank test. There was no operative mortality. One patient in the no commissural resuspension group died 10 years later of prosthetic aortic valve endocarditis (aortic valve replacement 7 years after unroofing). The follow-up duration was 6.9 years (4.9-9.1) and 3.7 years (2.1-4.3) in the no commissural resuspension and commissural resuspension groups, respectively (P =.001). Available postoperative exercise stress test data (n = 14) revealed that 50% had an endurance level at the 25th percentile or greater for age. After a median follow-up of 1.9 years (3 months to 10.6 years), no patient in the commissural resuspension group had aortic regurgitation, whereas 6 of 9 patients (67%) in the no commissural resuspension group had stable but mild or greater aortic regurgitation. Time-to-event analysis with the primary event of occurrence of mild or greater aortic regurgitation showed significantly higher freedom from the occurrence of aortic regurgitation in the commissural resuspension group (P =.035). Surgical repair of an anomalous aortic origin of the coronary artery can be performed with excellent early and midterm outcomes. Routine commissural resuspension of the aortic valve may lead to a lower rate of aortic valve regurgitation without increasing the risk of ischemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Central pulmonary banding has been proposed as a novel alternative for the treatment of left ventricular dilated cardiomyopathy in children. We sought to investigate the effects of central pulmonary banding in an experimental model of doxorubicin-induced left ventricular dilated cardiomyopathy. Four-month-old sheep (n = 28) were treated with intermittent intracoronary injections of doxorubicin (0.75 mg/kg/dose) into the left main coronary artery. A total dose of up to 2.15 mg/kg of doxorubicin was administered until signs of left ventricular dilation with functional impairment occurred by transthoracic echocardiography evaluation. Animals that survived were treated with surgical central pulmonary banding through a left anterior thoracotomy or sham surgery. Transthoracic echocardiography and pressure-volume loop measurements were used to compare left ventricular function preoperatively and 3 months later. Macroscopic and microscopic histologic examinations followed after hearts were harvested. Nine animals from the central pulmonary banding group and 8 animals from the sham group survived and were included in the final analysis. Both groups showed similar inflammation and fibrosis upon histologic examination consistent with the toxic myocardial effects of doxorubicin. There were no differences in the echocardiographic measurements before central pulmonary banding or sham operation. Baseline measurements before the central pulmonary banding/sham operation were considered as 100%. The central pulmonary banding group had better left ventricular ejection fraction (102.5% ± 21.6% vs 76.7% ± 11.7%, P =.01), with a tendency for smaller left ventricular end-diastolic (101.2% ± 7.4% vs 120.4% ± 10.8%, P =.18) and significantly smaller end-systolic (100.3% ± 12.9% vs 116.5 ± 9.6%, P =.02) diameter of the left ventricle in comparison with the sham animals at 3 months. The end-systolic volume (101.4% ± 31.6% vs 143.4% ± 28.6%, P =.02) was significantly lower in the central pulmonary banding group 3 months postoperatively. Fractional shortening in the long axis (118.5% ± 21.5% vs 85.2% ± 22.8%, P =.016) and short axis (122.5% ± 18% vs 80.9% ± 13.6%, P =.0005) revealed significantly higher values in the central pulmonary banding group. In the conductance catheter measurements, no significant differences were seen between the groups for the parameters of systolic and diastolic function. Central pulmonary artery banding in the setting of experimental toxic left ventricular dilated cardiomyopathy improved left ventricular echocardiographic function and dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Despite advances in treatment of children with critical heart disease, cardiac arrest (CA) remains a common occurrence. We provided virtual support to bedside teams (BTs) from a tele-critical care (TCC) unit in a pediatric cardiac intensive care unit (CICU) and focused on early detection of concerning trends (CT) and avoidance of CA. Virtual surveillance workflows included a review of remote monitoring, video feed from patient room cameras, medical records, and artificial intelligence tools. We present our initial experience with a focus on critical communications (CCs) to BTs. Methods: A retrospective, descriptive review of TCC activities was conducted from January 2019 to December 2022, involving electronic databases and electronic medical records of patients in the CICU, including related CCs to BTs, responses from BTs, and related CA. Results: We conducted 18,171 TCC activities, including 2,678 non-CCs and 248 CCs. Over time, there was a significant increase in the proportion of CCs related with CT (p = 0.002), respiratory concerns (<0.001), and abnormalities in cardiac rhythm (p = 0.04). Among a sample of 244 CCs, subsequent interventions by BTs resulted in adjustment of medical treatment (127), respiratory support (68), surgery or intervention (19), cardiac rhythm control (17), imaging study (14), early resuscitation (9), and others (10). Conclusions: CCs from a TCC unit in a pediatric CICU changed over time with an increased focus on CT and resulted in early interventions, potentially contributing to avoiding CA. This model of care in pediatric cardiac critical care has the potential to improve patient safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective This retrospective study presents our operative results, mortality, and morbidity with regard to pulmonary artery growth and reinterventions on the pulmonary artery and aortic arch, including key features of our institutional standards for the 3-stage hybrid palliation of patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Methods Between June 1998 and February 2015, 182 patients with hypoplastic left heart structures underwent the Giessen hybrid stage I procedure. Among these, 126 patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome who received a univentricular palliation or heart transplantation were included in the main analysis. Median age and body weight of patients at hybrid stage I were 6 days (0-237) and 3.2 kg (1.2-7), respectively. Comprehensive stage II operation was performed at 4.5 months (2.9-39.5), and Fontan completion was established at 33.7 months (21.1-108.2). Operative and interstage mortality, morbidity, growth and reinterventions on the pulmonary arteries, and long-term operative results of the aortic arch reconstruction were assessed. Results Median follow-up time after Giessen hybrid stage I palliation was 4.6 years (0-16.8). Operative mortality at hybrid stage I, comprehensive stage II, and Fontan completion was 2.5%, 4.9%, and 0%, respectively. Cumulative interstage mortality was 14.2%. At 10 years, the probability of survival is 77.8%. Body weight (<2.5 kg) and aortic atresia had no significant impact on survival. McGoon ratio did not differ at comprehensive stage II and Fontan completion ( P = .991). Freedom from pulmonary artery intervention was estimated to be 32.2% at 10 years. Aortic arch reinterventions were needed in 16.7% of patients; 2 reoperations on the aortic arch were necessary. Conclusions In view of the early results and long-term outcome, the hybrid approach has become an alternative to the conventional strategy to treat neonates with hypoplastic left heart syndrome and variants. Further refinements are warranted to decrease patient morbidity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective This article presents the long-term results of our patients with a diagnosis of hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), hypoplastic left heart complex (HLHC), and variants who received a biventricular repair following hybrid stage I with ductal stenting and bilateral pulmonary artery banding. Methods Between June 1998 and June 2013, a total of 154 patients with hypoplastic left heart structures underwent a hybrid stage I procedure. Forty patients were definitely treated by creating a biventricular circulation. Median age and body weight of patients before hybrid stage I were 8.5 days (2-40) and 3.0 kg (1.6-3.8), respectively. The diagnoses were HLHS with mitral and aortic stenosis (n = 7), HLHC (n = 15), HLHC with interrupted aortic arch (n = 9), critical aortic stenosis with hypoplastic aortic arch (n = 4), imbalanced atrioventricular septal defect with hypoplastic aortic arch (n = 2), double-outlet right ventricle with hypoplastic aortic arch (n = 2), and d-transposition of the great arteries with interrupted aortic arch (n = 1). Median age at the time of biventricular correction was 6.7 months (1.6-13.8). The patients were treated with direct biventricular correction, including repair of intracardiac defects (n = 32), Norwood/Rastelli or Yasui (n = 4), arterial switch (n = 2), Rastelli (n = 1), and Ross–Konno (n = 1) operations with ascending aortic/aortic arch reconstruction. Results All patients survived hybrid stage I. Median survival after biventricular correction is 7.9 years (0.9-14.9). Overall mortality was 10% (4 patients) at 4 weeks, 5 weeks, 6 weeks, and 4 months after biventricular correction, respectively. One patient had to be switched to univentricular circulation and another patient underwent orthotopic heart transplantation 3 and 4 months after biventricular correction, respectively. Conclusions The Giessen hybrid approach is an alternative to the conventional strategy to treat neonates with HLHS, HLHC, and variants. Biventricular repair after hybrid stage I is feasible and can be performed with satisfactory long-term survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybrid palliation (bilateral pulmonary artery banding with or without ductal stenting) is an initial management strategy for infants with critical left heart obstruction and serves as palliation until subsequent operations are pursued. This study sought to determine patient characteristics and factors associated with subsequent outcomes for infants who underwent hybrid palliation. From 2005 to 2019, 214 of 1,236 prospectively enrolled infants within the Congenital Heart Surgeons' Society's critical left heart obstruction cohort underwent hybrid palliation across 24 institutions. Multivariable hazard modeling with competing risk methodology was performed to determine risk and factors associated with outcomes of biventricular repair, Fontan procedure, transplantation, or death. Preoperative comorbidities (eg, prematurity, low birth weight, genetic syndrome) were identified in 70% of infants (150 of 214). Median follow-up was 7 years, ranging up to 17 years. Overall 12-year survival was 55%. At 5 years after hybrid palliation, 9% had biventricular repair, 36% had Fontan procedure, 12% had transplantation, 35% died without surgical endpoints, and 8% were alive without an endpoint. Factors associated with transplantation were absence of ductal stent, older age, absent interatrial communication, smaller aortic root size, larger tricuspid valve area z -score, and larger left ventricular volume. Factors associated with death were low birth weight, concomitant genetic syndrome, cardiopulmonary bypass use during hybrid palliation, moderate to severe tricuspid valve regurgitation, and smaller ascending aortic size. Mortality remains high after hybrid palliation for infants with critical left heart obstruction. Nonetheless, hybrid palliation may facilitate biventricular repair for some infants and for others may serve as stabilization for intended functional univentricular palliation or primary transplantation. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Situs solitus of viscera and atria, D-looped ventricle with atrioventricular concordance, and inverted normally related great arteries with ventriculoarterial concordance characterize the segmental anatomy of an extremely rare {S,D,I} variant of Tetralogy of Fallot. The main pulmonary artery is rightward of the aorta and the right coronary artery crosses over the right ventricular outflow tract from left to right to reach the right atrioventricular groove. Our patient had undergone a neonatal repair due to persistent cyanosis with the implantation of a pericardial infundibular patch after the diagnosis of Tetralogy of Fallot {S,D,I}. He presented with an annular right ventricular outflow tract obstruction at 19 months of age. We describe the surgical approach employing a transannular patch implantation for the relief of the annular right ventricular outflow tract obstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Our objective was to elucidate long-term clinical and functional effects of intramyocardial stem cell transplant and to identify patients who will show sustained benefit. Methods: Long-term outcomes of 35 patients after intramyocardial CD133+ bone marrow stem cell transplant during coronary artery bypass grafting were compared with those of a control group of 20 patients after coronary artery bypass grafting alone. Clinical effects were assessed with the New York Heart Association classification system and the Minnesota Living With Heart Failure questionnaire. Electrocardiography, 24-hour Holter monitoring, echocardiography, myocardial perfusion scanning, magnetic resonance imaging, and computed tomography were performed. Logistic regression analyses were used to identify prognostic factors for improvement in long-term left ventricular ejection fraction after stem cell treatment. Results: The stem cell group revealed similar New York Heart Association and life quality scores to the control group. Myocardial perfusion score at the area of risk was significantly increased in the stem cell group after 36-month follow-up (P = .024 vs control). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed a 44-fold higher probability of at least 5% improvement in left ventricular ejection fraction for patients with preoperative left ventricular ejection fraction not greater than 40% than for patients with preoperative ejection fraction greater than 40% (P = .018). Furthermore, patients operated on between 7 and 12 weeks after myocardial infarction had a 56-fold higher chance of at least 5% improvement in left ventricular ejection fraction than patients treated later than 12 weeks after infarction (P = .023). Conclusions: Intramyocardial stem cell therapy was safe but lacked significant lasting benefits beyond 6 months in our study cohort with a limited number of patients. Preoperative left ventricular ejection fraction and time since myocardial infarction may be critical parameters for selection of patients who can benefit most from intramyocardial stem cell treatment during coronary artery bypass grafting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to describe the clinical characteristics, perioperative course and neuroimaging abnormalities of infants with congenital heart disease (CHD) undergoing heart surgery without deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA) and identify variables associated with neurological outcome. Infants with CHD undergoing open-heart surgery without DHCA between 2009 and 2017 were identified from a cardiac surgery database. Full-term infants < 10 weeks of age at the time of surgery who had both a pre- and postoperative brain magnetic resonance imaging exam (MRI) were included. Clinical characteristics and perioperative variables were collected from the electronic medical record. Brain Injury Scores (BIS) were assigned to pre- and postoperative brain MRIs. Variables were examined for association with neurological outcome at 12 months of age or greater. Forty-two infants were enrolled in the study, of whom 69% (n = 29) had a neurological assessment ≥ to 12 months of age. Adverse neurological outcome was associated with longer intensive care unit (ICU) stay (P = 0.003), lengthier mechanical ventilation (P = 0.031), modified Blalock-Taussig (MBT) shunt procedure (P = 0.005) and postoperative seizures (P = 0.005). Total BIS scores did not predict outcome but postoperative infarction and/or intraparenchymal hemorrhage (IPH) was associated with worse outcome by multivariable analysis (P = 0.018). Infants with CHD undergoing open-heart surgery without DHCA are at increased risk of worse neurological outcome when their ICU stay is prolonged, mechanical ventilation is extended, MBT shunt is performed or when postoperative seizures are present. Cerebral infarctions and IPH on postoperative MRI are also associated with worse outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Glenn procedure carries low morbidity and mortality within stages of single-ventricle palliation. However, some patients with Glenn failure need a stage reversal, while others require unanticipated surgical interventions. Our understanding of perioperative factors and outcomes associated with such unexpected interventions is extremely limited., Methods: Patients who underwent unexpected surgery after the Glenn procedure between January 2010 and December 2019 within the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Congenital Heart Surgery Database (STS-CHSD) were identified with a subgroup analysis of those reverting to stage I physiology. Patient's requiring reversal to stage I palliation were matched 1:5 with controls. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate risk factors for reintervention., Results: A total of 16,913 patients underwent Glenn procedure with 1221 (7.2%) requiring unexpected cardiac surgical intervention and 95 (0.56%) patients required takedown to a stage I. Significant clinical and operative risk factors were identified for such unexpected interventions.The overall mortality after Glenn procedure was 1.2%, while mortality after unexpected reintervention was 6.6% at 30 days and after Glenn takedown was 27.5% at last follow-up. Unexpected surgical intervention and right ventricular dominance were significant risk factors for mortality., Conclusion: Unexpected reinterventions, including need for takedown after the Glenn procedure, are associated with significantly higher mortality. Further studies should focus on improving our patient selection, understanding the risk factors mechanistically, including impact of the right ventricle as systemic ventricle in order to avoid need for unexpected surgical interventions.

Introduction: Interdisciplinary consultations are essential to decision-making for patients with congenital heart disease. The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language processing (NLP) into medical practice is rapidly accelerating, opening new avenues to diagnosis and treatment. The main objective of this study was to consult the AI trained model Chat Generative Pre-Trained Transformer (ChatGPT) regarding cases discussed during a cardiovascular surgery conference (CSC) at a single tertiary center and compare the ChatGPT suggestions with CSC expert consensus results., Methods: 37 cases discussed at a single CSC were retrospectively identified. Clinical information comprised of de-identified data from the last ECG, echocardiogram, ICU progress note (or cardiology clinic note if outpatient) as well as a patient summary. Diagnosis was removed from the summary and possible treatment options were deleted from all notes. ChatGPT (v.4.0) was asked to summarize the case, identify diagnoses, and recommend surgical procedures and timing of surgery. The responses of ChatGPT were compared with the results of the CSC., Results: Of the 37 cases uploaded to ChatGPT, 45.9% (n=17) were considered to be less complex cases with only 1 treatment option, and 54.1% (n=20) were considered more complex with several treatment options. ChatGPT correctly provided a detailed and systematically written summary for each case within 10-15 seconds. ChatGPT correctly identified diagnoses for about 94.5% (n=35) cases. The surgical intervention plan matched the group decision for about 40.5% (n=15) cases; however, it differed in 27% cases. In 23 out of 37 cases, timing of surgery was the same between CSC group and ChatGPT. Overall, the match between ChatGPT responses and CSC decisions for diagnosis was 94.5%, surgical intervention was 40.5%, and timing of surgery was 62.2%. However, within complex cases, we have 25% agreement for surgical intervention and 67% for timing of surgery., Conclusion: ChatGPT can be used as an augmentative tool for surgical conferences to systematically summarize large amounts of patient data from electronic health records and clinical notes in seconds. In addition, our study points out the potential of ChatGPT as an AI-based decision support tool in surgery, particularly for less-complex cases. The discrepancy, particularly in complex cases, emphasizes on the need for caution when using ChatGPT in decision-making for the complex cases in pediatric cardiovascular surgery. There is little doubt that the public will soon use this comparative tool., (Copyright © 2025. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: Early tracheostomy improves outcomes in the adult population, but there is little evidence of benefit in the pediatric population. We investigated hospital and late survival of tracheostomy placement in patients who also underwent congenital cardiac surgery., Methods: A single-center review of 65 consecutive patients who underwent tracheostomy placement and cardiac surgery in a pediatric hospital between 2011 and 2022 was performed. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to assess predictors of mortality, and a Kaplan-Meier estimate was performed to evaluate mortality., Results: Final analysis included 62 patients. Median birth weight and age at tracheostomy admission was 2.7 kilograms (IQR 2,3) and 175 days (IQR 107,266), respectively. Patients failed extubation a median of 3 times (IQR 1,4). Duration of ventilation before tracheostomy was 85 days (IQR 49,106). Thirty-nine patients (63%) were discharged from the hospital. Thirty-eight patients (61%) died overall, of which 21(55%) died in-hospital. Median survival was 328 days (IQR 94,1711). Independent predictors of mortality were longer LOS (OR 4.66 [1.6,13.8], P<0.01), tracheomalacia (OR 0.31 [0.1,0.93], P=0.04), sepsis (OR 3.4 [1.18,10], P=0.02), pneumonia before or after tracheostomy (OR 3.3 [1.1,10.2], P=0.04), and acute kidney injury requiring dialysis (OR 8 [1.96,54.5], P=0.01)., Conclusions: With 61% mortality after tracheostomy in patients undergoing cardiac surgery in a pediatric hospital, one can wonder whether this practice improves survival in these patients. Families should be warned that, in the sickest patients, tracheostomy may only offer increased survival for a limited time., (Copyright © 2025. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: Whether patients with moderate left atrioventricular valve regurgitation (LAVVR) after surgical repair of complete atrioventricular septal defect (CAVSD) should be observed or undergo reoperation remains unclear., Methods: Moderate LAVVR was diagnosed in 87 of 220 patients who underwent CAVSD repair: 47 during the initial hospital stay and 40 after a median of 7 months (interquartile range, 2-18 months) after the initial operation., Results: Of these 87 patients who had moderate LAVVR, 15 died, for an overall mortality of 17%. The regurgitation became severe in 39 patients (45%) within a median of 2 months (interquartile range, 1-7 months) leading to 33 reoperations and 10 deaths. In 23 of 87 patients (26%), regurgitation remained at a moderate level over a median follow-up period of 8 months (interquartile range, 1-48 months). In 25 of 87 patients (29%), the regurgitation decreased to mild after a median of 9 months (interquartile range, 5-19 months). The only independent risk factor for increased severity of regurgitation and reoperation was the echocardiographic appearance of the jet centered around the cleft rather than central at the time of diagnosis of moderate regurgitation (odds ratio, 3.5; 95% CI, 1.5-9.0; P = .007)., Conclusions: Moderate LAVVR after CAVSD repair is often linked to death and reoperation, but regurgitation remains stable in one-quarter of patients and improves in one-third. The deterioration usually occurs within the first year after surgery. The initial observation of patients with residual or new moderate regurgitation for up to 1 year or until further deterioration seems reasonable, as long as the regurgitation is centrally located., Competing Interests: Disclosures The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest Statement The authors reported no conflicts of interest. The Journal policy requires editors and reviewers to disclose conflicts of interest and to decline handling manuscripts for which they may have a conflict of interest. The editors and reviewers of this article have no conflicts of interest.

Background: There are limited data on outcomes after implantation of the CardioCel 3D 60° patch in great vessel repair. After anecdotally witnessing an increase in negative outcomes, we reviewed our experience using this patch in our neonate and infant patients undergoing aortic arch repair., Methods: Aortic arch repair with implantation of the CardioCel 3D 60° patch was performed in 24 patients between July 2018 and July 2021. Dominant cardiac morphologies were hypoplastic left heart syndrome (66%), atrioventricular canal defects (13%), and other (21%). Median age at implantation was 44 days (interquartile range [IQR], 6-112 days). Recurrent obstruction was defined as the need for reoperation or catheter intervention or recurrent peak pressure gradient of descending aorta ≥25 mm Hg on echocardiography., Results: Five deaths occurred after a median of 217 days (IQR, 69-239 days). Twelve patients (50%) had recurrent obstruction. Three patients (13%) required redo aortic arch operation after a median of 148 days (IQR, 128-193 day), with extensive fibrous coating of the patch interior causing obstruction. Eleven patients (46%) required at least 1 balloon angioplasty on their aorta after a median of 102 days (IQR, 83-130 days) after repair, and 3 needed >1 catheter intervention. The estimated probability of having recurrent obstruction was 85% at 6 months and 71% at the 1-year follow (P = .06)., Conclusions: Recurrent aortic obstruction occurred in half of our patients shortly after repair. The use of the CardioCel 3D 60° patch for aortic arch reconstruction in neonates and infants should be reevaluated., Competing Interests: Disclosures Yves d'Udekem is a consultant for Bayer Pharmaceuticals. All other authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The association between the prevalence of cirrhosis and the types of Fontan operations remains unclear., Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of 332 patients who underwent the Fontan procedure at our institution. Four patients who underwent the atriopulmonary connection Fontan were excluded from the analysis. Patients who had intracardiac-extracardiac conduit (126) between 1989 and 2021 were pooled with those having extracardiac conduit (ECC) (134). The 260 patients who underwent the ECC and the 68 patients who had the lateral tunnel (LT) Fontan constitute the core of the study., Results: Median age at the Fontan procedure was 23.7 months (interquartile range [IQR], 20.8-32.6) in the LT group, compared with 28.8 months (IQR, 24.6-39.5) in the ECC group (P < .01). The median follow-up was 14.8 years (IQR, 12.5-16.5) in the LT group and 7 years (IQR, 2.8-10.4) in the extracardiac conduit group. During the follow-up period, 3 patients (4.4%) with LT and 17 patients (6.5%) with ECC (11 patients with 16 mm or less conduit size) were diagnosed with cirrhosis. The prevalence of cirrhosis at 1, 5, 10, and 15 years was 0%, 0%, 0%, and 4.4% in the LT group, respectively, and 0%, 0.9%, 7.7%, and 29.8% in the ECC group (P < .01) Rates of mortality, Fontan revision, Fontan takedown, transplant, and complications were comparable between the 2 groups., Conclusions: The extracardiac conduit Fontan seems to be associated with faster development of cirrhosis., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest Statement The authors reported no conflicts of interest. The Journal policy requires editors and reviewers to disclose conflicts of interest and to decline handling or reviewing manuscripts for which they may have a conflict of interest. The editors and reviewers of this article have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Surgical advancements in paediatric cardiovascular surgery have led to improved survival rates for those patients with the most complex CHDs leading to greater numbers of patients who are living well into adulthood. Despite this new era of long-term survival, our current reporting systems continue to focus largely on using short-term postoperative outcomes as the criteria to both rate and rank hospitals. Using such limited criteria to rate and rank hospitals may mislead the intended audiences: patients and families. The goal of this article is to describe the creation of a local benchmarking report which aims to retrospectively review long-term outcomes from our single centre. This report is updated annually and published on our cardiac surgery webpage in an effort to be as transparent as possible for our patient and family communities.

Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper: This work was supported by the Italian Ministry of Health (5x1000 project no. 5M-2018-23680419) and by the MacCutcheon Family Foundation (grant no. 44607).