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Introduction:Fenestration in the total cavopulmonary connection system may improve the outcome of patients with significant risk factors for Fontan haemodynamics. Our study aims to analyse the difference in long-term survival between non-fenestrated and fenestrated patients.Methods:All consecutive patients (n = 351) who underwent total cavopulmonary connection between 1992 and 2016 were identified. Six early deaths were excluded resulting in a group of 345 patients. Median (interquartile range,) length of follow-up was 14.4 (7.1–19.7) years. Freedom from the composite endpoint of death, total cavopulmonary connection take-down or indication for a heart transplant was analysed.Results:Fenestration was absent in 237 patients (68.7%, Group 1), was created and closed later in 79 patients (22.9%, Group 2), and remained open in 29 patients (8.4%, Group 3). Mean survival probability until composite endpoint was 97.1 and 92.9% at 10 and 20 years, respectively. Patients with patent fenestration had worse survival (p < 0.001) as compared to both the non-fenestrated and fenestration closure groups. Despite a similar outcome, exercise capacity was lower in Group 2 than 1 (p = 0.013). In 58 patients with interventional fenestration closure, Nakata index was lower at the time of closure than pre-operatively, and both the pressure in the circuit and oxygen saturation in the aorta increased significantly (p < 0.001).Conclusions:Patients with persisting risk factors preventing fenestration closure are at higher risk of reaching the composite endpoint. Patients after fenestration closure have the worse functional outcome; their survival is, however, not different from the non-fenestrated group.

Background The presence and extent of ventricular dyssynchrony are currently assessed from the QRS complex morphology and width. However, similar electrocardiography (ECG) pattern may be caused by variable ventricular activation sequence. This may then contribute to interindividually different response to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). Methods Electroanatomical mapping and magnetic resonance imaging scan were performed in 11 patients with left bundle branch block (LBBB, QRS 170 ± 14 ms) and heart failure of ischemic (coronary artery disease (CAD), n = 2) and nonischemic (dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), n = 9) etiology. Ventricular activation sequence was studied during LBBB and final CRT programming. Presence and extent of scarring were analyzed in the 17-segment left-ventricular (LV) model. Results Regardless of etiology, presence of typical LBBB was associated with diffuse prolongation of impulse conduction with right-to-left activation sequence. Basal lateral wall was constant site of late activation. This activation pattern was present in "true LBBB," but also in LBBB-like pattern (persistent S wave in V5-6) and left axis deviation. Activation started in right vetricular (RV) apex in patients with left axis deviation at RV free wall in normal axis. Individuals with CAD and DCM patient displayed focal scar. Despite that they exhibited typical LBBB and activation sequence mirrored findings in other LBBB individuals. Reverse remodeling (∆LVESV > 15% after 6 months) was evident in 10 patients. Conclusions Both typical LBBB and LBBB-like pattern might be associated with constant activation sequence regardless of etiology and scar localization. Activation initiation in RV apex, not LV activation sequence can be surrogate for left axis deviation. CRT caused inter- and intraventricular LV resynchronization without significantly changed RV activation sequence and duration.

Background— Electromechanical discoordination may contribute to long-term pulmonary right ventricular (RV) dysfunction in patients after surgery for congenital heart disease. We sought to evaluate changes in RV function after temporary RV cardiac resynchronization therapy. Methods and Results— Twenty-five patients aged median 12.0 years after repair of tetralogy of Fallot and similar lesions were studied echocardiographically (n=23) and by cardiac catheterization (n=5) after primary repair (n=4) or after surgical RV revalvulation for significant pulmonary regurgitation (n=21). Temporary RV cardiac resynchronization therapy was applied in the presence of complete right bundle branch block by atrial-synchronized RV free wall pacing in complete fusion with spontaneous ventricular depolarization using temporary electrodes. The q-RV interval at the RV free wall pacing site (mean 77.2% of baseline QRS duration) confirmed pacing from a late activated RV area. RV cardiac resynchronization therapy carried significant decrease in QRS duration ( P P =0.002), pulmonary artery velocity time integral ( P =0.006), and RV maximum +dP/dt ( P P =0.006). RV mechanical synchrony improved: septal-to-lateral RV mechanical delay decreased ( P P =0.001). Conclusions— In patients with congenital heart disease and right bundle branch block, RV cardiac resynchronization therapy carried multiple positive effects on RV mechanics, synchrony, and contraction efficiency.

Right bundle branch block is associated with right ventricular (RV) electromechanical dyssynchrony, which may contribute to acute haemodynamic impairment after repair of tetralogy of Fallot (ToF). We sought to evaluate the effects of RV resynchronization on haemodynamics and tissue oxygenation during the first 24 h after surgery.Arterial pressures, cardiac output, and tissue oxygenation were measured in 28 consecutive patients (median age 10.1 months) during baseline sinus rhythm with right bundle branch block and after RV resynchronization by atrial-triggered RV free wall pacing in complete fusion with spontaneous activation. Studied variables were compared in a crossover design in four 5-min intervals (baseline rhythm and stimulation, 2x each). Resynchronization reduced the QRS complex duration from median 110 to 70 ms (P 0.001), increased significantly median arterial systolic, mean and pulse pressure, cardiac index, left ventricular maximum +dP/dT and decreased central venous pressure (P 0.001 for all). Both cerebral and renal oxygenation improved (P 0.001). Eleven of the 28 patients showed a clinically highly significant resynchronization effect defined as an increase in arterial pulse pressure of ≥ 10%. The q-RV interval (expressed as % of QRS duration) at the RV pacing site during baseline rhythm was the only predictor of resynchronization effect.RV resynchronization carried short-term improvement of haemodynamics in children early after surgery for ToF and might be a useful non-pharmacologic adjunct to the management of haemodynamically compromised patients. Resynchronization effect was maximized when pacing from area of the latest RV activation.

The paper presents the development of prototype system for measurement of vital functions using the transthoracic bioimpedance. The measurement of the bioimpedance is a non-invasive method providing the information about the body composition, hearth rate, blood flow, breathing etc.

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) has proven efficacious in reducing or even eliminating cardiac dyssynchrony and thus improving heart failure symptoms. However, quantification of mechanical dyssynchrony is still difficult and identification of CRT candidates is currently based just on the morphology and width of the QRS complex. As standard 12-lead ECG brings only limited information about the pattern of ventricular activation, we aimed to study changes produced by different pacing modes on the body surface potential maps (BSPM). Total of 12 CRT recipients with symptomatic heart failure (NYHA II-IV), sinus rhythm and QRS width ≥120 ms and 12 healthy controls were studied. Mapping system Biosemi (123 unipolar electrodes) was used for BSPM acquisition. Maximum QRS duration, longest and shortest activation times (ATmax and ATmin) and dispersion of QT interval (QTd) were measured and/or calculated during spontaneous rhythm, single-site right- and left-ventricular pacing and biventricular pacing with ECHO-optimized AV delay. Moreover we studied the impact of CRT on the locations of the early and late activated regions of the heart. The average values during the spontaneous rhythm in the group of patients with dyssynchrony (QRS 140.5±10.6 ms, ATmax 128.1±10.1 ms, ATmin 31.8±6.7 ms and QTd 104.3±24.7 ms) significantly differed from those measured in the control group (QRS 93.0±10.0 ms, ATmax 79.1±3.2 ms, ATmin 24.4±1.6 ms and QTd 43.6±10.7 ms). Right ventricular pacing (RVP) improved significantly only ATmax [111.2±10.6 ms (p

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) has proven efficacious in the treatment of patients with heart failure and dyssynchronous activation. Currently, we select suitable CRT candidates based on the QRS complex duration (QRSd) and morphology with left bundle branch block being the optimal substrate for resynchronization. To improve CRT response rates, recommendations emphasize attention to electrical parameters both before implant and after it. Therefore, we decided to study activation times before and after CRT on the body surface potential maps (BSPM) and to compare thus obtained results with data from electroanatomical mapping using the CARTO system. Total of 21 CRT recipients with symptomatic heart failure (NYHA II-IV), sinus rhythm, and QRSd ≥150 ms and 7 healthy controls were studied. The maximum QRSd and the longest and shortest activation times (ATmax and ATmin) were set in the BSPM maps and their locations on the chest were compared with CARTO derived time interval and site of the latest (LATmax) and earliest (LATmin) ventricular activation. In CRT patients, all these parameters were measured during both spontaneous rhythm and biventricular pacing (BVP) and compared with the findings during the spontaneous sinus rhythm in the healthy controls. QRSd was 169.7±12.1 ms during spontaneous rhythm in the CRT group and 104.3±10.2 ms after CRT (p