Lessons from patient-specific 3D models of the cardiac chambers after the Mustard operation.

J Chapron,Ryo Torii,H Hosney,Magdi H Yacoub,M Dunya,Y Sedky

doi:10.5339/gcsp.2013.49

Abstract

The recent ability to create detailed 3D models of the atrial and ventricular chambers using CT, MRI and rapid prototyping offers unique opportunities to study the size and shape of the different cardiac chambers both before and following operation for complex cardiac anomalies. We here describe the techniques for creating detailed 3D models of the heart and demonstrate the utility of these techniques in a patient studied after the Mustard operation. This can give important insights into the changes in size and shape of the different chambers and the patterns of blood flow from the pulmonary and systemic veins to the ‘appropriate’ ventricle. This information in turn could be extremely helpful in understanding and optimizing the overall hemodynamic function after the Mustard operation.

Highlights

A significant number of patients with TGA and intact inter-ventricular septum present ‘late’ after the small window of time following birth, when the left ventricle is capable of supporting the systemic circulation
CT scans were obtained via a Siemens Definition Flash with a slice thickness of 0.6 mm and a slice increment of 0.3 mm
DICOM were imported into Mimics (Materialise, Leuven, Belgium) for 3D reconstruction of the blood volumes in left and right sides of the heart

Summary

Introduction

The preferred surgical option for ‘correction’ transposition of the great arteries TGA is the arterial switch operation.[1,2,3,4] In spite of that, a significant number of patients with TGA and intact inter-ventricular septum present ‘late’ after the small window of time following birth, when the left ventricle is capable of supporting the systemic circulation. A 2013 Chapron, Hosny, Torii, Sedky, Donya, Yacoub, licensee Bloomsbury Qatar Foundation Journals.

Results

Conclusion