Ventricular Septal Defect In Children Research Articles

Left Anterior Fascicular Block After Transcatheter Closure of Ventricular Septal Defect in Children.

Background: Arrhythmia is the most common complication after transcatheter closure of a ventricular septal defect (VSD). However, the effects of postprocedural left anterior fascicular block are not clear. This study presents the clinical characteristics, prognosis, and related risk factors of left anterior fascicular block after transcatheter closure of a VSD in children.Methods: The clinical and follow-up data of the patients in the Heart Center of Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from June 2009 to October 2018 were reviewed. And 30 cases were eligible out of all 1,371 cases.Results: An electrocardiogram showed a left anterior fascicular block within 3 days, and most patients gradually returned to normal within 1–2 years, showing a dynamic change. Left ventricular end-diastolic dimension Z-score ranged from −2 to 2 in all children, and no decrease of left ventricular ejection fraction was found in all children. The high ratio between VSD size and body surface area [p < 0.05, odds ratio (OR) 2.6, 95% CI: 1.136–6.113] and large diameter difference between the occluder size and VSD size (p < 0.05, OR 2.1, 95% CI: 1.036–4.609) were independent risk factors for postprocedural left anterior fascicular block.Conclusions: The incidence of postprocedural left anterior fascicular block is not that low, and the overall prognosis is quite good at the current follow-up stage. No progressive severity has been found, such as complete left bundle branch block, double (triple) bundle branch block, and atrioventricular block, to have an influence on cardiac systolic and diastolic function.

Transcatheter closure of ventricular septal defects in children less than 10 kg: experience from a tertiary care referral hospital in Eastern India

To assess the feasibility of percutaneous transcatheter device closure of ventricular septal defects in children weighing less than 10 kg. Although percutaneous transcatheter device closure of ventricular septal defect is a well-established method of treatment in older children and adolescents, there is limited data on device closure in small children weighing less than 10 kg. We present our institutional experience of transcatheter VSD closure in children weighing less than 10 kg. Medical records were reviewed for 16 children, who were selected for device closure of ventricular septal defects based on the inclusion criteria. Out of 65 patients with a diagnosis of ventricular septal defect, 16 children less than 10 kg were attempted for percutaneous device closure. In 13 patients, the device was successfully released, and 3 patients needed surgical closure of the defect. Mean age and weight of the patients were 17.3 ± 12.7 months and 6.8 ± 3.2 kg, respectively. Mean defect size was 6 mm (range 3-10). There was no incidence of device embolisation or heart block or death. Five patients had residual left-to-right shunt immediately after the device release, which got closed by the first month's follow-up. We had one accidental perforation of right ventricular free wall at the time of crossing of the defect, which was successfully repaired surgically. Percutaneous device closure of ventricular septal defect in small children with weight below 10 kg is feasible with good short-term outcome. Careful patient selection is essential for procedural success and to avoid complications.

Transcatheter Device Closure of Perimembranous and Intracristal Ventricular Septal Defects in Children: Medium- and Long-Term Results.

BackgroundIn children, the practice of transcatheter closure of intracristal ventricular septal defect (icVSD) has been limited. Currently, there is a lack of comparison between device closure of perimembranous ventricular septal defect (pmVSD) and icVSD, and long‐term clinical outcomes are rare.Methods and ResultsThis study included a total of 633 children (39 with icVSD and 594 with pmVSD), aged 18 months to 16 years, who underwent transcatheter closure of ventricular septal defect between January 2014 and December 2018. All patients were followed up until September 2020, with a median follow‐up of 46 months in the pmVSD group and 52 months in the icVSD group. The procedural success rate was 96.3% and 84.6% in pmVSD and icVSD groups, respectively (P=0.002). The median of age, weight, procedure time, fluoroscopic time, and radiation dose were greater in the icVSD group compared with the pmVSD group. More eccentric ventricular septal defect occluders were used in the icVSD group. Most adverse events were minor without any intervention, with cardiac rhythm/conduction abnormalities being the most common. In the pmVSD group, 2 patients experienced complete atrioventricular block, with one implanting a permanent pacemaker and the other dying of cardiac arrest secondary to reversible complete atrioventricular block 40 days postprocedure. Complete left bundle‐branch block occurred in 14 patients, and 12 cases were transient. In the icVSD group, no complete atrioventricular block or death occurred, and one patient developed transient complete left bundle‐branch block.ConclusionsIn selected patients, transcatheter device closure of pmVSD and icVSD can be performed safely and successfully, with excellent medium‐ and long‐term results in children.

Abstract 15801: Early and Late Risk of Mortality or Development of Severe Pulmonary Hypertension Following Closure of Ventricular Septal Defects in Children With Severe Pulmonary Hypertension and Elevated Pulmonary Vascular Resistance Using Traditional or Uni-directional Flap Valve Patch Closure

Introduction: Children with large ventricular septal defects, severe pulmonary hypertension (PHT), and elevated pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) are frequently denied operation in low and middle-income countries secondary to concerns of high mortality and development of severe pulmonary hypertension following operation, early and late. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that closure with a uni-directional flap valve patch (DP) would provide lower mortality and better survival without severe PHT. Methods: From 5/96 - 12/2016 all patients undergoing VSD closure with severe PHT and elevated PVR by either traditional (TP) or DP closure were followed annually. Baseline and O 2 provocation catheterization were performed before operation. Echocardiograms were performed at discharge and follow-up. The decision on TP or DP closure was based upon age and surgeon preference. Beginning in 2005 all patients regardless of technique received sildenafil 3 mgs/kg/day for 3 months before operation. Results: The number of patients receiving operation was 129, of which 40 received the DP. Males were 66/129, age and weight differed significantly for DP group compared to the TP group (7.5 vs 2.6 years, p&lt;0.001 and 20 vs 11.5 kgs, p&lt;0.001).Catheterization baseline data, PVR 9.0 vs 7.4 for DP and TP respectively (p&lt;0.001), negative vasoactive test 32.5% vs 13.5% for DP and TP respectively (p=0.016). Mortality was 1/40 for DP and 9/89 for TP. Pulmonary to Systemic systolic pressure ratio was lower at discharge vs baseline cath (0.38 vs 0.99, p&lt;0.001). Predictors of late severe pulmonary hypertension were PVR/SVR &gt;0.5, p&lt;0.024; and a negative vasoactive test of &lt;10% decrease, p&lt;0.001. PHT at last follow-up, none or mild 86/115 (74.8%), moderate 16/115 (13.9%) or severe 13/115 (11.3%). Conclusions: DP patients had less risk of death and both groups had few patients with severe PHT at late follow-up..

Intraoperative Three-dimensional Imaging of Ventricular Septal Defects in Children Using Epicardial Echocardiography: A Novel Approach

To assess the feasibility and accuracy of intraoperative three-dimensional (3D) epicardial en face images of ventricular septal defects (VSD) in children using the 3D transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) probe as an epicardial probe. This was a prospective nonrandomized blinded observational study. The study was conducted at a single tertiary cardiac care center. Fifty pediatric patients, weighing between 5.0 kg and 20 kg, who were scheduled for elective surgical closure of their VSDs, prospectively were recruited for this study. Epicardial 3D images were acquired using the full-volume mode. VSD location and size were determined from the 3D data sets using multiplanar reconstruction mode (QLAB 9) by a blinded investigator. The accuracy in terms of location and size was compared with surgical findings. In 50 study subjects, 54 VSDs were located by epicardial 3D echocardiography (3DE): 12 perimembranous, 17 inlet, eight muscular, 15 malaligned, and two outlet. Average image acquisition time was 4.96 (±1.47) minutes. Average image reconstruction time was 6.18 (±1.93) minutes. Good en face views of the VSD could be rendered in all patients (100% feasibility). The highest image quality was for perimembranous and malaligned VSDs. The location of VSD by 3DE corresponded precisely with surgical findings (100% accuracy). With linear regression analysis, excellent correlation was observed between the diameters measured by surgery and that measured by 3DE from the right ventricle side (r2 = 0.97, p < 0.001). The authors' study demonstrated that diagnostic quality 3D en face images of VSD can be obtained intraoperatively using 3D epicardial echocardiography. The short acquisition and reconstruction times make this technique clinically applicable.

Transcatheter device closure of ventricular septal defects in children: a retrospective study at a single cardiac center.

ABSTRACTBACKGROUND: Ventricular septal defect (VSD) is the most common congenital heart disease in the pediatric population. Nowadays, trans-catheter closure is considered a feasible method of therapy for most muscular and some perimembranous types of VSDs.OBJECTIVE: Assess the safety, efficacy and outcome of percutaneous transcatheter closure of VSDs in children.DESIGN: Retrospective, single center study.SETTING: Madinah Cardiac Center, Madinah, Saudi Arabia.PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included all consecutive children who underwent transcatheter closure of isolated VSD during the period from December 2014 to January 2019. The data were collected from hospital database medical records. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and an electrocardiogram (ECG) were done before and after the procedure in all the patients. The device was implanted by the retrograde or antegrade approach. All patients were subjected to follow-up evaluation at 1, 3, 6, 12 months, and annually thereafter with TTE and ECG.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Procedure success rate, clinical follow-up, TTE.SAMPLE SIZE: 70 children.RESULTS: The mean (standard deviation) age of patients was 10.2 (4.1) years (range: 2-18 years), and their mean body weight was 30.9 (13.9) kg (range: 7.0-57.7 kg). Forty-eight (68.6%) children had muscular VSD (mVSD), and 22 (31.4%) children had perimembranous VSD (pmVSD). The majority of defects were closed via the retrograde approach using the Amplatzer muscular occluder device. At 24 hours after the procedure, the success rate was 90%. Only four (5.7%) cases had major adverse events including complete atrioventricular block, hemolysis, and thrombus formation.CONCLUSION: Transcatheter closure is a safe and feasible procedure in VSDs of various morphologies, with a low adverse event rate.LIMITATIONS: Retrospective design, single-center study, absence of control group.CONFLICT OF INTEREST: None.

Safety and efficacy of transcatheter closure of outlet-type ventricular septal defects in children and adults with Amplatzer Duct Occluder II

Outlet-type VSD is frequently associated with aortic valve prolapse that surgery is frequently required. The literature regarding outcomes of transcatheter closure of outlet-type VSDs is scant. This study was conducted to know the safety and efficacy of transcatheter closure of outlet-type ventricular septal defects (VSDs) with Amplatzer Duct Occluder II (ADO II). Medical records of patients underwent attempted transcatheter closure of outlet-type VSD with ADO II between October 2013 and August 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. Among 49 patients, transcatheter closure was successful in 45 (91.8%; 33 males and 12 females; mean [± standard deviation] age and body weight: 15.8 (±17.7) years and 36.6 (±23.3) kg, respectively). The median VSD diameter was 4.0 mm (range: 1.2-6.0 mm). Device closure failed in four because the sheath could not be advanced through a prograde or retrograde route in one patient, occluder embolization in the two patients, and failed right ventricular disc anchoring in one patient. After a mean follow-up of 22.7 months (range: 0.3-51.1 months), only nine (20.0%) patients had increased severity in aortic regurgitation (AR) on the echocardiography. Preprocedural AR decreased in severity or even disappeared in 11 (24.4%) patients. No heart block or device failure occurred during follow-up. A trivial-to-small residual shunt was detected in 19 patients (42.2%) in the most recent echocardiography. Transcatheter closure of outlet-type VSDs with ADO II is feasible. Although no significant aggravation of AR was observed in the short-to-mid-term follow-up, long-term follow-up is mandatory.

Parents\u2019 knowledge and attitudes regarding transthoracic device closure of VSD in children: a cross-sectional study

ObjectivesThis study aimed to identify Chinese parents’ knowledge and attitudes toward transthoracic device closure of ventricular septal defect (VSD).MethodsThis cross-sectional study collected data on a total of 203 Chinese parents of patients with VSD were included, and an author-designed three-page questionnaire was used.ResultsA total of 73.9% of the parents had heard of transthoracic device closure of VSD; however, they lacked detailed knowledge. 88.2% parents expressed their willingness to undergo this procedure. Although there was no significant correlation between knowledge about the occluder material and acceptance of the method, knowledge of other information was significantly related to willingness to undergo the procedure. Some parents expressed some concerns and high expectations, but the postoperative risk reduced their desire for accepting the procedure. This study also found that most parents did not have a detailed understanding of such procedure.ConclusionParents of patients with VSD in China need continued education regarding transthoracic device closure of VSD, especially in terms of its benefits and limited postoperative complications. In addition, it is essential to reduce the cost of this procedure to promote its development and application.

Prognosis and risk factors of tricuspid regurgitation after transcatheter closure of perimembranous ventricular septal defects in children

Objective To investigate the incidence and prognosis of tricuspid regurgitation after transcatheter closure of perimembranous ventricular septal defects in pediatric patients as well as the risk factors of regurgitation occurrence or aggravation. Methods Clinical data of 1 108 patients who underwent percutaneous closure in Shanghai Children′s Medical Center, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University from January 2011 to January 2017 was analyzed retrospectively, and the prognosis and risk factors of postoperative tricuspid regurgitation and aggravation were also analyzed. Results Mild tricuspid regurgitation occurred in 24 cases after surgery with the incidence of 2.1%.Among 5 cases with mild or above preoperative tricuspid regurgitation, the regurgitation was alleviated after surgery in 4 cases.No severe tricuspid regurgitation requiring surgical intervention occurred in any patient during follow-up.Univariate analysis showed that intervention time (P<0.05) and residual shunt (P<0.05) were risk factors for mild or above tricuspid regurgitation after intervention.Binary regression analysis indicated that the size of the occluder (mm) (OR=1.48, 95%CI: 1.13-1.90) and residual shunt (OR=6.53, 95%CI: 1.69-25.30) were risk factors for tricuspid regurgitation after intervention (all P<0.05). Conclusions There is a certain incidence of tricuspid regurgitation after transcatheter closure of perimembranous ventricular septal defects, but most tricuspid regurgitation do not need surgical intervention.The intervention time, size of occluder and residual shunt are risk factors of intraoperatively or postoperatively tricuspid regurgitation. Key words: Ventricular septal defects; Tricuspid regurgitation; Septal occlude device; Retrospective study

A Sufentanil-Based Rapid Cardiac Anesthesia Regimen in Children Undergoing Percutaneous Minimally-Invasive Intraoperative Device Closure of Ventricular Septal Defect.

ObjectiveTo assess the effectiveness and safety of fast-track cardiac anesthesia using the short-acting opioid sufentanil in children undergoing intraoperative device closure of ventricular septal defect (VSD).MethodsThis retrospective clinical study included 65 children who underwent intraoperative device closure of VSD between January 2017 and June 2017. Patients were diagnosed with isolated perimembranous VSD by transthoracic echocardiography. Then, they were divided into two groups, group F (n=30), whose patients were given sufentanil-based fast-track cardiac anesthesia, and group C (n=35), whose patients were given conventional cardiac anesthesia. Perioperative clinical data were analyzed.ResultsNo significant differences were found between the preoperative clinical parameters and intraoperative hemodynamic indices between the two groups. In group C, compared with group F, the postoperative duration of mechanical ventilation, the length of stay in the intensive care unit, the length of hospital stay, and the hospital costs were significantly increased.ConclusionIn this retrospective study at a single center, sufentanil-based fast-track cardiac anesthesia was shown to be a safe and effective technique for minimally-invasive intraoperative device closure of VSD in children, which was performed with reduced in-hospital costs.

Sufentanil Reduces Emergence Delirium in Children Undergoing Transthoracic Device Closure of VSD After Sevoflurane-Based Cardiac Anesthesia.

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to evaluate whether sufentanil can reduce emergence delirium in children undergoing transthoracic device closure of ventricular septal defect (VSD) after sevoflurane-based cardiac anesthesia.MethodsFrom February 2019 to May 2019, 68 children who underwent transthoracic device closure of VSD at our center were retrospectively analyzed. All patients were divided into two groups: 36 patients in group S, who were given sufentanil and sevoflurane-based cardiac anesthesia, and 32 patients in group F, who were given fentanyl and sevoflurane-based cardiac anesthesia. The following clinical data were recorded: age, sex, body weight, operation time, and bispectral index (BIS). After the children were sent to the intensive care unit (ICU), pediatric anesthesia emergence delirium (PAED) and face, legs, activity, cry, consolability (FLACC) scale scores were also assessed. The incidence of adverse reactions, such as nausea, vomiting, drowsiness and dizziness, was recorded.ResultsThere was no significant difference in age, sex, body weight, operation time or BIS value between the two groups. Extubation time (min), PEAD score and FLACC scale score in group S were significantly better than those in group F (P<0.05). No serious anesthesia or drug-related side effects occurred.ConclusionsSufentanil can be safely used in sevoflurane-based fast-track cardiac anesthesia for transthoracic device closure of VSD in children. Compared to fentanyl, sufentanil is more effective in reducing postoperative emergence delirium, with lower analgesia scores and greater comfort.

Clinical study of echocardiographic cardiac output monitor for hemodynamic monitoring after repair of ventricular septal defect in children

Objective To monitor the hemodynamics of children with congenital heart disease after operation by using ultrosonic cardiac output monitor (USCOM) to understand the changes of cardiac function in children with congenital heart disease after operation. Methods Twenty-four children with congenital heart disease underwent operation in the pediatric intensive care unit of Shengjing Hospital Affiliated to China Medical University from January 2017 to March 2018 were selected.Cardiac index (CI), lactate (Lac) concentration, central venous oxygen saturation (ScvO2), heart rate (HR) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were recorded at four time points after operation by USCOM. Results The CI reached the highest level of 6.5L·min-1·(m2)-1 in 4h, the lowest level of 5L·min-1·(m2)-1 in 8h, and the same level in 24h as that in 1h.ScvO2 was correlated with CI: P values of 1h, 4h, 8h and 24h were 0.003, 0.02, 0.034 and 0.03, respectively (all P 0.05), and could not be used to judge the cardiac function of children with early congenital heart disease after operation. Conclusion USCOM is a non-invasive method for monitoring cardiac output, which can reflect the changes of cardiac function in children with congenital heart disease after operation. Key words: Heart septal defects, ventricular; Cardiac index; Ultrasonic cardiac output volume detector; Child

Transcatheter Closure of Moderate to Large Perimembranous Ventricular Septal Defects in Children Weighing 10 kilograms or less.

Transcatheter device closure of ventricular septal defect (VSD) is an alternative to conventional surgical closure. Device closure of moderate to large perimembranous VSD (pmVSD) is considered technically challenging in smaller children weighing ≤10 kg. Very few studies are published on the outcomes of the same. Descriptive single-center retrospective study. Data of 49 children ≤10 kg with moderate to large pmVSDs taken up for transcatheter device closure in our institute were analyzed and their follow-up details were reviewed. Of the 87 patients referred for VSD closure, 49 patients qualified for the inclusion criteria. Median age was 18 months (interquartile range: 13-22). Successful device deployment was achieved in 42 (85.7%) patients. Mean VSD size by transthoracic echocardiography was 5.98 mm (range: 4-12 mm). Mean waist size of the device used was 8.26 mm (range: 4-14 mm). There was one device embolization, requiring catheter-directed retrieval from the left ventricle and subsequent surgical referral for VSD closure. Minor complications such as device-related persistent new aortic regurgitation was noted in one patient and mild tricuspid regurgitation and transient heart block occurred in two patients each. There was no mortality or complete heart block requiring permanent pacemaker implantation immediately or during midterm follow-up (mean follow-up: 20 months; range: 6-72.5 months). Device closure of moderate to large pmVSDs in children weighing ≤10 kg is feasible and safe with a success rate of 85.7%. Careful selection of patients and avoidance of oversizing the defect makes the immediate and midterm results acceptable.

Determination of dynamic thiol/disulphide homeostasis in children with tetralogy of Fallot and ventricular septal defect.

Oxidative stress may contribute to the pathogenesis of congenital heart defects, but the role of dynamic thiol/disulphide homeostasis has not been evaluated. The objective of this study was to assess whether there are changes in thiol/disulphide homeostasis and nitric oxide levels in children with tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) and ventricular septal defect (VSD). A total of 47 children with congenital heart defects (24 TOF and 23 VSD) and 47 healthy age- and sex-matched controls were included in this study. Serum total thiol and native thiol levels were measured using a novel automatic spectrophotometric method. The amount of dynamic disulphide bonds and related ratios were calculated from these values. Serum nitric oxide levels were detected using a chemiluminescence assay. We found that the average native thiol, total thiol, and disulphide levels were decreased in patients with VSD when compared with healthy individuals (p &lt; 0.001, p &lt; 0.001, and p &lt; 0.01, respectively). While native thiol levels were decreased (p &lt; 0.01), disulphide levels were elevated in the TOF group (p &lt; 0.05). We observed marked augmentation of disulphide/native thiol (p &lt; 0.001) and disulphide/total thiol ratios (p &lt; 0.01) in the TOF group. However, there was a significant decrease in native thiol/total thiol ratio in patients with TOF. No significant changes in these ratios were noted in the VSD group. We detected significant elevations in serum nitric oxide levels in children with TOF and VSD (p &lt; 0.001 for all). These results are the first to demonstrate that thiol/disulphide homeostasis and nitric oxide are associated with TOF and VSD in children.

Utility of transesophageal echocardiography for intra-operatively assessing pulmonary artery pressure across an isolated ventricular septal defect in children.

The magnitude of pulmonary hypertension (PH) is extremely important with respect to the intra-operative management of children and infants with an isolated ventricular septal defect (VSD). This study aimed to assess the feasibility and accuracy of transesophageal echocardiography for estimating pulmonary arterial systolic pressure (PASP) across isolated VSD. We compared the results of transesophageal echocardiography vs invasive PASP measured simultaneously. This study included 40 patients (age: 6months to 6years; weight: >5kg) who were undergoing elective surgery for isolated VSDs. Flow signals across the VSDs were identified as high velocity turbulent signals in systole via continuous wave Doppler at 0-120° at the mid-esophageal level. Peak velocities were recorded. Radial artery systolic pressures were assessed invasively, and PASPs were obtained after exposing the pulmonary artery intra-operatively. After excluding five patients because of unusable measurements, invasive PASP measurements were obtained in 35 patients (87.5%). There were no significant biases between echocardiographic and catheterization measurements of PASP, with a tight confidence interval measuring, on average, up to 2.6mmHg. However, the±2 standard deviation limits of agreement for mean PASP were -3.8 and 10.6mmHg. PASP measurements via transesophageal echocardiography in cardiac surgical patients under general anesthesia are recommended for use as a screening and monitoring tool for PH in children and infants, but cannot be used as a diagnostic tool.

Prediction of spontaneous closure of ventricular septal defect and guidance for clinical follow-up.

AimTo predict the spontaneous closure of ventricular septal defect (VSD) and assist pediatrician to manage VSD children.MethodsBetween January 2008 and December 2016, 132 children diagnosed with isolated VSD by echocardiography were enrolled. All participating children were followed‐up by echocardiography yearly until the closure of VSD or 6 years old. The clinical indicators and echocardiographic parameters of patients were collected. Statistically significant factors were used to establish a Logistic Regression model for predicting spontaneous closure of VSD. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to assess the specificity and sensitivity of Logistic Regression model.ResultsSpontaneous closure occurred in 60% of all patients; 57% in perimembranous VSD (p‐VSD) and 64% in muscular VSD (m‐VSD) patients. Initial diagnosis age, defect size, aneurysms tissue of the ventricular membranous septum (ATVMS), pulmonary hypertension (PH), and left ventricular diastolic dimension (LVDD) were statistically significant. Defect size, ATVMS and LVDD were determined by the Logistic Regression model as representative factor. P‐VSD and m‐VSD model had areas under the ROC curves 0.854 and 0.898, respectively.ConclusionWe inferred that defect size, ATVMS and LVDD were characteristic and representative predictors for spontaneous closure of VSD. And we summarized the prognostic factors and recommended a follow‐up criteria to assist the pediatrician managing VSD children.

Safety and efficacy of percutaneous closure of perimembranous ventricular septal defects in children: Review of the results at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital

Background/Hypothesis: Ventricular septal defect (VSD) is the most common congenital cardiac lesion. Surgical closure is the gold standard, but in an isolated perimembranous ventricular septal defect (PMVSD), percutaneous closure is an attractive alternative, particularly in a limited resource setting. Our experience suggests that percutaneous closure of a perimembranous VSD, in the appropriately selected patient, is safe and effective. Materials and methods: We performed a retrospective chart review of all children that underwent percutaneous closure of a PMVSD at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital, from October 2010 until December 2016. Patients that had percutaneous closure of any VSD other than PMVSD, including residual VSD postsurgical closure, were excluded. Results: Fourty two patients were included in our retrospective analysis, 27 females and 15 males, with a mean age of 6 years 6 months (Range: 2 years 9 months – 15 years 9 months). Mean follow-up was 2 years 3 months. Successful device delivery was achieved in 97.6%. A total of 30 patients (71.4%) had complete closure of their defect. Eleven (26.2%) patients had a residual but haemodynamically insignificant defect. Two patients had mild aortic regurgitation post procedure. Significant early complications included 1 patient with moderate tricuspid regurgitation and 2 patients with device embolisation. In one of these patients, the embolised device was retrieved and replaced with a larger device. In the second patient, surgical retrieval and closure was required. No cases of heart block were recorded. Conclusions: In our experience, percutaneous closure of a perimembranous ventricular septal defect in a child appears to be safe and effective.

Comparison of transcatheter closure, mini-invasive closure, and open-heart surgical repair for treatment of perimembranous ventricular septal defects in children: A PRISMA-compliant network meta-analysis of randomized and observational studies.

Our study was aimed to comprehensively compare the relative efficacy, safety, and the cost of transcatheter closure, mini-invasive closure, and open-heart surgical repair to treat perimembranous ventricular septal defects (pmVSDs) in children using network meta-analysis method. Five databases were systematically searched including Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, PubMed, EMBASE.com, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials from the starting date of each database to February 2017. Tools for assessing the risk of bias in nonrandomized studies of interventions (ROBINS-I) were used to evaluate the risk of bias in observational studies and Cochrane Handbook version 5.1.0 was used for randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Data were analyzed using R-3.4.0 software and Review Manager 5.2. Three RCTs and 24 observational studies were included in our study. Network meta-analysis result demonstrated that transcatheter closure was the most effective treatment in terms of operative time [standardized mean difference (SMD) = -2.02, 95% confidence interval (CI): -3.92 to -0.12], major complications [odds ratio (OR) = 0.52, 95% CI = 0.30-0.91], ICU stay (SMD = -1.11, 95% CI = -2.13 to -0.08), and hospital stay (SMD = -1.81, 95% CI = -2.24 to -1.39). However, open-heart surgical repair showed a higher success rate of the procedure than transcatheter closure (OR = 0.36, 95% CI = 0.17-0.77).Statistical analysis result demonstrated that transcatheter closure had the best potential to lessen major complications, ICU stay, hospital stay, operative time, and significant residual shunt. Transcatheter closure has more benefit than mini-invasive closure and open-heart surgical repair to treat pmVSDs.

Fast-Track Cardiac Anesthesia for Transthoracic Device Closure of Perimembranous Ventricular Septal Defects in Children: A Single Chinese Cardiac Center Experience

Fast-Track Cardiac Anesthesia for Transthoracic Device Closure of Perimembranous Ventricular Septal Defects in Children: A Single Chinese Cardiac Center Experience

Heart rate variability is impaired in adults after closure of ventricular septal defect in childhood: A novel finding associated with right bundle branch block

BackgroundVentricular septal defects (VSDs) generally have benign long-term prognoses, but recent studies have indicated increased pulmonary vascular resistance. A potential tool for monitoring pulmonary artery pressure is heart rate variability, and therefore, the aim of this study was to assess heart rate variability in adults with a surgically repaired or unrepaired VSD. MethodsIn a long-term, follow-up study, three groups were included; VSD-patients operated in early childhood, patients with an open VSD, and controls. For each patient, 24-hour Holter monitoring was performed and heart rate variability was assessed. ResultsIn total, 30 participants with a surgically closed VSD, 30 participants with an unrepaired VSD, and 36 controls were included. In the closed VSD group, there was a higher proportion of participants, who had low sNN50 (p = 0.005) and low sNN6% (p = 0.017) than in the other two groups. Similar differences were found when sNN50 was divided into increases and decreases (p = 0.007 and p = 0.005, respectively) as well as sNN6% (p = 0.014 and p = 0.014, respectively). Lastly, there was a higher proportion of patients in the closed VSD group with low rMSSD than in the other two groups (p = 0.005). For the closed VSD group, the proportion of participants with low total sNN50 (p = 0.046) and low total sNN6% (p = 0.046) were higher among participants with a complete right bundle branch block (RBBB) than among participants with no or an incomplete RBBB. ConclusionsAdults who had surgical VSD closure in early childhood had impaired heart rate variability and, particularly, participants with complete RBBB had lower heart rate variability.