a-rodent-model-ross-operation-syngeneic-pulmonary-artery-graft

A Rodent Model of The Ross Operation: Syngeneic Pulmonary Artery Graft Implantation in A Systemic Position

The Ross operation for aortic valve disease has regained new interest due to its outstanding long-term results. Nonetheless, when employed as freestanding ...

University of Padua

The pandemic of Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is challenging, given the large number of hospitalized patients. Cardiovascular co-morbidities are linked to a higher mortality risk. Thus, patients with Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) might represent a high-risk population. Nevertheless, no data about them are available, yet. Hence, we conducted a nationwide survey to assess clinical characteristics and outcomes in patients with congenital heart disease affected by COVID-19.

COVID-19 and Congenital Heart Disease: Results from a Nationwide Survey.

We describe the case of a 59-year-old female affected by aortic extensive endocarditis with communication between aortic annulus and right cavities, treated with double pericardial patch reconstruction and rapid-deployment aortic valve prosthesis implantation.

Use of rapid-deployment aortic valve prosthesis and patch reconstruction in complex endocarditis.

Pulmonary regurgitation (PR) and right ventricular (RV) dilatation and disfunction are common in patients with repaired Tetralogy of Fallot (r-TOF).

Echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance in children with repaired tetralogy of Fallot: New insights in cardiac mechanics and exercise capacity.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is the most frequent and severe form of MD. It firstly affects the skeletal muscles, causing severe disability, and subsequently the myocardium. The only two options to treat end-stage heart failure in these patients are either a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation as destination therapy or a heart transplant. These hypotheses are still controversial, and data are very limited. We describe the case of an 18-year-old male patient, affected by DMD and in a wheelchair from the age of 11. He progressively developed dilated cardiomyopathy, and in 2016, at the age of 14 years, he underwent HeartWare LVAD implantation, as destination therapy, without post-operative complications. He has been followed up for 47 consecutive months; and 30 months after LVAD implantation, he developed an infection of the exit site, treated by antibiotics and surgical toilette. Following this event, on the basis of patient's good general conditions and willingness, we started to consider heart transplant as an option. Before the patient was listed, he underwent accurate workup, and we found higher values of forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in 1 s, and peak expiratory flow, compared with the predicted values of same-age DMD patients. The patient have neither scoliosis nor need for non-invasive mechanical ventilation, and finally, he was always treated with steroids with stable thoraco-abdominal function over the years. According to these considerations, the patient was listed for heart transplant. In 12 February 2020, at the age of 18 years, the patient underwent heart transplant with no post-operative complications. Cardiac transplantation is not considered a valid option for DMD patients, because of the shortage of donor availability and the systemic nature of DMD disease. Considering that this patient had already experienced an LVAD-related complication and he had better general condition than his DMD peers, we listed him for a heart transplant. We described the case of a DMD patient who underwent successful heart transplantation after 47 months of HeartWare LVAD assistance. Three months' follow-up is uneventful.

Is heart transplantation a real option in patients with Duchenne syndrome? Inferences from a case report.

The pandemic of Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has provoked hundreds of thousands of deaths, resulting in catastrophe for humans. Although some insights have been garnered in studies on women, children and young adults infected with COVID-19, these often remain fragmented in literature. Therefore, we discussed the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on women, children and young patients, particularly those with underlying cardiovascular comorbidities or congenital heart disease. Furthermore, we gathered and distilled the existing body of literature that describes their cardiovascular complications and the recommended actions in favour of those patients toward the post-peak pandemic period. Although many questions still require answers, this article is sought to help the practicing clinician in the understanding and management of the threatening disease in special populations.

Women's perspective on the COVID-19 pandemic: Walking into a post-peak phase.

Reply to Vendramin I. et al.

Innominate artery dissection during cerebral perfusion: The exception that proves the rule.

Sutureless and rapid deployment bioprosthetic valves: New perspectives.

The interest in intra-cardiac blood flow analysis is rapidly growing, and it has encouraged the development of different non-invasive imaging techniques. Among these, Vector Flow Mapping (VFM), combing Color-Doppler imaging and speckle tracking data, seems to be a promising approach, feasible in adult and children population.

Vector flow mapping: A review from theory to practice.

The aim of this retrospective multicentre study was to investigate and compare clinical outcomes of unilateral and bilateral antegrade cerebral perfusion (ACP) strategies on cerebral protection during surgery for type A aortic dissection.

Unilateral versus bilateral cerebral perfusion during aortic surgery for acute type A aortic dissection: a multicentre study.

Heart transplantation represents the gold standard for end-stage heart failure. However, due to the increasing demand and the shortage of available organs, donor supply remains the main limitation. Marginal donor hearts in high-risk candidates who do not meet standard listing criteria are the only alternative when life expectancy is limited, but their use is still debated. Surgical correction of detected coronary lesions or valvular heart defects allows further enlargement of the number of available organs. In this article, we offer a literature review on this topic and report two marginal donor hearts with angiography evidence of coronary stenosis and preserved ventricular function, which underwent concomitant myocardial revascularization during heart implantation.

Article	Year
COVID-19 and Congenital Heart Disease: Results from a Nationwide Survey. Journal of clinical medicine\| PubMed ID: 32521643	2020
Use of rapid-deployment aortic valve prosthesis and patch reconstruction in complex endocarditis. Journal of cardiac surgery\| PubMed ID: 32652636	2020
Echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance in children with repaired tetralogy of Fallot: New insights in cardiac mechanics and exercise capacity. International journal of cardiology\| PubMed ID: 32702408	2020
Is heart transplantation a real option in patients with Duchenne syndrome? Inferences from a case report. ESC heart failure\| PubMed ID: 32738034	2020
Women's perspective on the COVID-19 pandemic: Walking into a post-peak phase. International journal of cardiology\| PubMed ID: 32800917	2021
Reply to Vendramin I. et al. Journal of cardiac surgery\| PubMed ID: 32989846	2020
Innominate artery dissection during cerebral perfusion: The exception that proves the rule. Journal of cardiac surgery\| PubMed ID: 33586275	2021
Sutureless and rapid deployment bioprosthetic valves: New perspectives. Journal of cardiac surgery\| PubMed ID: 33713472	2021
Vector flow mapping: A review from theory to practice. Echocardiography (Mount Kisco, N.Y.)\| PubMed ID: 34259359	2021
Unilateral versus bilateral cerebral perfusion during aortic surgery for acute type A aortic dissection: a multicentre study. European journal of cardio-thoracic surgery : official journal of the European Association for Cardio-thoracic Surgery\| PubMed ID: 34302165	2022
Marginal donors and organ shortness: concomitant surgical procedures during heart transplantation: a literature review. Journal of cardiovascular medicine (Hagerstown, Md.)\| PubMed ID: 34420009	2022
Heart transplantation in the new era of extended donor criteria. Journal of cardiac surgery\| PubMed ID: 34558118	2021
Vector flow mapping analysis in a child with a cardiac resynchronization device. Revista espanola de cardiologia (English ed.)\| PubMed ID: 34635469	2022

Martina Avesani

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