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Introduction. Ductal stent (DS) in duct-dependent pulmonary circulation is less morbid than neonatal Blalock–Taussig shunt. However, there is concern if DS provides an adequately long palliation before definitive repair. Methods. This is a retrospective review of clinical follow-up of all consecutive infants after successful DS performed by a single operator. They were divided into three anatomic groups. Group A neonates had balloon valvotomy for critical pulmonary stenosis or pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum, who needed DS patency until the right ventricle was adequate to provide antegrade pulmonary flows. Group B patients with tetralogy of Fallot and pulmonary atresia suited for later biventricular repair needed ductal patency until conduit surgery was completed. Group C patients with functionally univentricular hearts needed DS patency until bidirectional Glenn shunt completion. Results. Among 22 infants, four Group A patients followed for 26–54 months after balloon pulmonary valvotomy had adequate oxygen saturation and needed only short-term DS patency. In six out of nine Group B patients, corrective biventricular repair using conduits was performed after 5–14 months at a body weight of 5–7.5 kg. Bidirectional Glenn shunt and confluence repair were performed in seven of nine Group C patients weighing 6–8.5 kg after 8–15 months. The hilar pulmonary artery growth in B and C groups was adequate for surgical repair. No patient needed stent redilatations or additional shunts on follow-up for hypoxia. Four patients had sudden death. Conclusions. The short-term patency of DS was adequate after balloon valvotomy for critical pulmonary stenosis or pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum. Duration of palliation by DS was also sufficient in univentricular hearts to allow adequate somatic growth before Glenn surgery. In patients with biventricular anatomy treated by DS, conduit repair had to be performed at a relatively early age. Interstage mortality was 18%.

Kawasaki disease was first described 30 years ago. The authors report 5 children with Kawasaki disease who presented within 18-month-period and describe their clinical presentation and management.

Ductal stent (DS) in duct-dependent pulmonary circulation is less morbid than neonatal Blalock-Taussig shunt. However, there is concern if DS provides an adequately long palliation before definitive repair.This is a retrospective review of clinical follow-up of all consecutive infants after successful DS performed by a single operator. They were divided into three anatomic groups. Group A neonates had balloon valvotomy for critical pulmonary stenosis or pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum, who needed DS patency until the right ventricle was adequate to provide antegrade pulmonary flows. Group B patients with tetralogy of Fallot and pulmonary atresia suited for later biventricular repair needed ductal patency until conduit surgery was completed. Group C patients with functionally univentricular hearts needed DS patency until bidirectional Glenn shunt completion.Among 22 infants, four Group A patients followed for 26-54 months after balloon pulmonary valvotomy had adequate oxygen saturation and needed only short-term DS patency. In six out of nine Group B patients, corrective biventricular repair using conduits was performed after 5-14 months at a body weight of 5-7.5 kg. Bidirectional Glenn shunt and confluence repair were performed in seven of nine Group C patients weighing 6-8.5 kg after 8-15 months. The hilar pulmonary artery growth in B and C groups was adequate for surgical repair. No patient needed stent redilatations or additional shunts on follow-up for hypoxia. Four patients had sudden death.The short-term patency of DS was adequate after balloon valvotomy for critical pulmonary stenosis or pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum. Duration of palliation by DS was also sufficient in univentricular hearts to allow adequate somatic growth before Glenn surgery. In patients with biventricular anatomy treated by DS, conduit repair had to be performed at a relatively early age. Interstage mortality was 18%.

Junctional ectopic tachycardia (JET) is an unusual arrhythmia in children. It is usually described as a congenital tachycardia or as occurring in the postoperative setting. Here we report the case of an 8-year-old girl who presented with JET in the context of viral myocarditis and its later subsidence which could have been in response to Carvedilol therapy.

Large patent ductus arteriosus with large left-to-right shunt results in heart failure, and if untreated, leads to multiorgan dysfunction. Use of radiographic iodinated contrast media for angiogram during transcatheter duct closure may aggravate preexistent renal dysfunction. Aortogram with contrast media was avoided in a patient with renal failure, and echocardiogram guided deployment of duct occluder device in the cardiac catheterization laboratory for closure of a large duct. This article highlights use of a nitinol-based occluder that employs nonporous polytetrafluoroethylene fabric to aid in instantaneous duct closure.

The objective of this study was quantitate diastolic dysfunction in the postoperative phase of tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) and to correlate it with the type of surgical procedure and clinical parameters. Fifty consecutive patients (mean age, 5.0 years; mean weight, 13.5 kg), operated for TOF during the period November 2004 to May 2005, were prospectively studied [infundibular resection, 23; infundibular resection and transannular patch (TAP), 19; right ventricle --pulmonary artery conduit, 8). Detailed echocardiography was done on postoperative days 3 and 9 with a focus on Doppler indices of right ventricular (RV) function, Antegrade late diastolic flow in the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) was taken as the marker of restrictive RV physiology. The previous parameters were correlated to the type of surgery and clinical indices of RV dysfunction. There was no mortality. Twenty-four patients showed restrictive RV physiology. This finding correlated with lower values of E/A ratio (0.98 +/- 0.17 vs 1.33 +/- 0.49, p0.002), tricuspid valve E-wave deceleration time (86.9 +/- 21.7 vs 151.4 +/- 152 msec, p0.05), index of myocardial performance (0.15 +/- 0.06 vs 0.26 +/- 0.09, p0.001), isovolumic relaxation time (19.4 +/- 17 vs 39+/-30 msec, p0.009), and a higher central venous pressure (15.1 +/- 1.5 vs 12.7 +/- 1.9, p0.001). Restrictive RV physiology correlated with prolonged intensive case unit (ICU) stay (5.1 +/- 3.7 vs 2.8 +/- 2 days, p0.015), longer duration of inotropic support (108.3 +/- 56.2 vs 55.5 +/- 28.3 hours, p0.02), and higher dosage of diuretics. RV diastolic dysfunction is demonstrable by Doppler echocardiography in the first week following surgery for TOF and tends to be worse with TAP. Restrictive physiology demonstrated by RVOT pulse Doppler predicts longer duration of inotropic support, prolonged ICU stay, and higher dosage of diuretics.