Cardiology in the young
-
Cardiology in the young · Oct 2007
Timing of removal of pacing wires following paediatric cardiac surgery.
Temporary percutaneous epicardial pacing wires are routinely placed in children following cardiac surgery. There is uncertainty in clinical practice about the optimum timing for their removal, and practice varies widely both within and between different institutions. ⋯ Our study shows that no patient who was in sinus rhythm for the first 24 hours post-operatively required pacing before their discharge from hospital. This suggests that, in those patients in a stable state of sinus rhythm, and who have not required pacing within the first 24 hours, it may be safe to remove pacing wires after 24 hours. This could be timed to coincide with the removal of chest drains, thus avoiding the need for multiple distressing procedures.
-
Cardiology in the young · Oct 2007
Case ReportsEmbolization of a pulmonary arterial pseudoaneurysm with endovascular coils.
Unrecognized pseudoaneurysm or rupture of a pulmonary artery is a rare but potentially catastrophic complication of pulmonary arterial catheterization. Herein, we describe a teenage patient with a pulmonary arterial pseudoaneurysm, probably iatrogenic, who presented with haemoptysis following catheterization of the right heart. The pseudoaneurysm was successfully embolized using coils inserted by catheter. Increased awareness of this lesion, its rapid recognition, and prompt therapy are the keys to a successful outcome.
-
Cardiology in the young · Sep 2007
ReviewAnalysis of outcomes for congenital cardiac disease: can we do better?
This review discusses the historical aspects, current state of the art, and potential future advances in the areas of nomenclature and databases for the analysis of outcomes of treatments for patients with congenitally malformed hearts. We will consider the current state of analysis of outcomes, lay out some principles which might make it possible to achieve life-long monitoring and follow-up using our databases, and describe the next steps those involved in the care of these patients need to take in order to achieve these objectives. In order to perform meaningful multi-institutional analyses, we suggest that any database must incorporate the following six essential elements: use of a common language and nomenclature, use of an established uniform core dataset for collection of information, incorporation of a mechanism of evaluating case complexity, availability of a mechanism to assure and verify the completeness and accuracy of the data collected, collaboration between medical and surgical subspecialties, and standardised protocols for life-long follow-up. ⋯ Under the leadership of The MultiSocietal Database Committee for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Disease, further collaborative efforts are ongoing between paediatric and congenital cardiac surgeons and other subspecialties, including paediatric cardiac anaesthesiologists, via The Congenital Cardiac Anesthesia Society, paediatric cardiac intensivists, via The Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Society, and paediatric cardiologists, via the Joint Council on Congenital Heart Disease and The Association for European Paediatric Cardiology. In finalising our review, we emphasise that analysis of outcomes must move beyond mortality, and encompass longer term follow-up, including cardiac and non cardiac morbidities, and importantly, those morbidities impacting health related quality of life. Methodologies must be implemented in these databases to allow uniform, protocol driven, and meaningful, long term follow-up.
-
Cardiology in the young · Sep 2007
Multicenter Study Comparative StudyFunctional state of patients with heterotaxy syndrome following the Fontan operation.
Children born with heterotaxy syndromes have poorer outcomes compared with children born with comparable cardiac lesions requiring similar surgical palliation. Heterotaxy has been reported as a separate risk factor for mortality and increased morbidity in a series of Fontan operations reported from single centres. Little is known, however, about the functional state of surviving patients with heterotaxy following a Fontan operation. ⋯ The study illustrates a profile of characteristics, medical history, functional health state, and markers of ventricular performance in patients with heterotaxy after the Fontan procedure. Despite obvious anatomic differences, and some differences in echocardiography and heart rhythm, there were no important differences in exercise performance or functional health state between these patients and other survivors of the Fontan procedure.
-
Cardiology in the young · Sep 2007
ReviewCaring for adults with congenital cardiac disease: successes and challenges for 2007 and beyond.
Patients with congenital cardiac disease require lifelong medical care. Current challenges that face practitioners who care for adults with congenital heart disease include identifying the best location for procedures, which could be a children's hospital, an adult hospital, or a tertiary care facility; providing appropriate antenatal management of pregnant women with congenitally malformed hearts, and continuing this care in the peripartum period; and securing the infrastructure and expertise of the non-cardiac subspecialties, such as nephrology, hepatology, pulmonary medicine, and haematology. The objectives of this review are to outline the common problems that confront this population of patients and the medical community, to identify challenges encountered in establishing a programme for care of adults with congenitally malformed hearts, and to review the spectrum of disease and operations that have been identified in a high volume tertiary care centre for adult patients with congenital cardiac disease. ⋯ There is a growing cadre of healthcare professionals dedicated to improving the care of these patients. More information has become available about their care, and will be improved upon in the next decade. With the support of the general paediatric and paediatric cardiologic communities, and of the Adult Congenital Heart Association, and with the persistence of the providers of care for adults with congenital cardiac disease currently staffing clinics, the care of these patients should become more secure in the next decade as we mature our capabilities.