Congenital echocardiography

CLINICAL ISSUE: Due to advances in diagnostics and therapy, the survival rate of patients with congenital heart defects is continuously increasing. The aim of this review is to compare various imaging modalities that are used in the diagnosis of congenital heart defects. METHODS: Transthoracic echocardiography is the imaging method of choice in the presence of a congenital heart defect because of its wide availability and non-invasiveness. It can be complemented by transesophageal echocardiography, cardiac catheterization, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the heart and vessels close to the heart...

BACKGROUND: Ventricular septal defect (VSD) is the most common type of congenital heart abnormality with perimembranous VSD (pmVSD) accounting for ∼70% of all VSD. Nowadays, transcatheter closure is the first choice for suitable pmVSD. However, there was no report about closing the large oval-shaped VSD percutaneously. CASE SUMMARY: A 34-year-old male with known VSD was referred for transcatheter closure after failed attempts in other hospital. Patient had been diagnosed with VSD at a young age, but he was lost to follow-up...

We herein present an exceptionally rare instance of a unicommissural unicuspid aortic valve (UAV) manifesting with an aneurysmal ascending aorta complicated by a type A aortic dissection .

Advances in pediatric cardiac surgery have resulted in a recent growing epidemic of children and young adults with congenital heart diseases (CHDs). In these patients, congenital defects themselves, surgical operations and remaining lesions may alter cardiac anatomy and impact the mechanical performance of both ventricles. Cardiac function significantly influences outcomes in CHDs, necessitating regular patient follow-up to detect clinical changes and relevant risk factors. Echocardiography remains the primary imaging method for CHDs, but clinicians must understand patients' unique anatomies as different CHDs exhibit distinct anatomical characteristics affecting cardiac mechanics...

BACKGROUND: Quadricuspid aortic valve (QAV) is a rare congenital disease. The clinical characteristics of this disease remain unclear except for those in relatively young patients reported from tertiary referral hospitals. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical features of QAV in a regional population. METHODS AND RESULTS: We retrospectively investigated 25 340 consecutive patients over middle age (median age, 73 (IQR 65-80) years; range, 45-102 years) who underwent transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) at our institute during the period from April 2008 to December 2023...

Congenital pericardial absence is an uncommon heart condition that is usually undiagnosed due to a lack of symptoms and awareness. In this case study, we present a 72-year-old patient who initially presented for medical evaluation due to unexplained weight loss, a displaced cardiac apex, and poor echocardiographic windows. An extracardiac tumor was suspected at first, but it was later determined that the patient had a congenital complete absence of the left pericardium. This case illustrates the possibility for benign pathology to present abnormally and details the clinical features, imaging findings, and management of congenital absence of the pericardium...

A myocardial diverticulum is a rare congenital anomaly characterized by pouch-like protrusions within the myocardial wall, which can potentially lead to various cardiac complications. This case report describes a unique presentation of a left ventricular diverticulum (LVD) with an associated apical thrombus, highlighting the diagnostic and management challenges posed by this condition. A 58-year-old man presented to the emergency department with left arm weakness, wrist drop, and chest pain, initially raising concerns for a stroke...

UNLABELLED: Ebstein's anomaly (EA), a congenital cardiac anomaly, is characterized by apical displacement of the tricuspid valve leaflet(s) into the right ventricle. We present the case of a 61-year-old female with a history of EA, Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, and patent foramen ovale (PFO), who presented with worsening hypoxia and confusion, in the setting of left lower extremity cellulitis and abscess. The computed tomography (CT) scan of the head showed a cerebellar infarct with hemorrhagic conversion...

BACKGROUND: Sinus of Valsalva aneurysm (SVA) is a rare cardiac anomaly which can be congenital or acquired. Patients with SVA are commonly asymptomatic when the occupying effect of SVA is insignificant, while ruptured SVA usually causes severe symptoms including heart failure and myocardial ischemia. CASE PRESENTATION: We present an unusual case of a 64-year-old female manifesting with exertional dyspnea as well as angina pectoris for three months. Echocardiography and cardiac computed tomographic angiography confirmed unruptured left-coronary and non-coronary SVAs...

OBJECTIVES: Predicting whether balloon atrial septostomy (BAS) will be necessary after birth for fetuses with d-transposition of the great arteries (d-TGA) remains challenging. We sought to determine whether measurements obtained during fetal maternal hyperoxygenation (MH) testing can improve our ability to predict need for postnatal BAS. METHODS: Forty-one mothers carrying fetuses with d-TGA with either intact ventricular septum or small ventricular septal defect measuring <3mm underwent MH testing between 33-38 weeks gestation...

BACKGROUND: Congenital syphilis is a vertical infection caused by Treponema pallidum. Despite the implementation of preventive strategies during pregnancy, its incidence is increasing, and it constitutes an important public health problem. Most patients with congenital syphilis are asymptomatic; however, a small group may develop severe disease at birth with the need of advanced resuscitation in the delivery room, acute hypoxemic respiratory failure, and hemodynamic instability. Therefore, awareness is needed...

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common birth defect with prevalence of 0.8%. Thanks to tremendous progress in medical and surgical practice, nowadays, >90% of children survive into adulthood. Recently European Society of Cardiology (ESC), American College of Cardiology (ACC)/ American Heart Association (AHA) issued guidelines which offer diagnostic and therapeutic recommendations for the different defect categories. However, the type of technical exams and their frequency of follow-up may vary largely between clinicians and centres...

Scimitar Syndrome is part of a complex spectrum of congenital cardiovascular anomalies related to anomalous pulmonary venous return. Depending on the extent of involvement, treatment can be either expectant or surgical. Prognosis and survival have been controversial, with some results supporting early surgical management. This research aims to disclose the outcomes and describe the management, clinical and imaging characteristics of patients diagnosed with Scimitar Syndrome treated in a tertiary referral healthcare center...

OBJECTIVES: To assess and quantify the association between pre-pregnancy maternal overweight and obesity, and the risk of congenital heart defects (CHDs) in offspring. METHODS: This systematic review and meta-analysis included searches of PubMed, Medline, Web of science, and Scopus up to April 20th, 2023. Risk estimates were abstracted or calculated for rising body mass index categories (overweight, obesity, moderate and severe obesity) compared to normal weight (reference)...

BACKGROUND: The right atrial aneurysm is a rare cardiac malformation of unknown origin. It is typically asymptomatic but can occasionally lead to life-threatening and serious complications. CASE DESCRIPTION: We present a case of a right atrial aneurysm in an eight-year-old child who experienced complications including rupture of the atrial aneurysm, thrombosis, and recurrent large pericardial effusions over a one-month period. Following surgical treatment, the child had a favorable prognosis...

BACKGROUND: Congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) infection, resulting from non-primary maternal infection or reactivation during pregnancy, can cause serious fetal abnormalities, complications in the immediate neonatal period, and severe sequelae later in childhood. Maternal non-primary cytomegalovirus infection in pregnancy is transmitted to the fetus in 0.5-2% of cases (1). CASE PRESENTATION: An African full term male newbornwas delivered by emergency caesarean section...

Diastolic wall strain (DWS), an echocardiographic index based on linear elasticity theory, has been identified as a predictor of heart failure (HF) in patients with sinus rhythm. However, its effectiveness in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients remains uncertain. This study aims to assess DWS as a predictor of HF in AF patients with preserved ejection fraction. We analysed a prospective database of AF patients undergoing transthoracic echocardiography. AF patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (< 50%), posterior wall motion abnormality, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, valvular heart disease, pericardial disease, congenital heart disease, or history of pacemaker/implantable cardioverter-defibrillator implantation or cardiac surgery were excluded...

Birth-associated structural issues with the heart are known as congenital heart disorders or defects. They might alter the heart's regular blood flow. A 10-month-old female child presented to a tertiary care hospital with symptoms of recurrent cyanotic spells with episodes of desaturation a few months after birth. ECG findings depicted a normal sinus rhythm with a right axis deviation along the right ventricular forces. Two-dimensional echocardiography showed a tetralogy of Fallot with pulmonary atresia with a patent ductus arteriosus from the undersurface of the arch with confluent small pulmonary arteries...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary arteriovenous malformations (PAVMs) universally develop in patients with single ventricle congenital heart disease (CHD). Single ventricle PAVMs have been recognized for over 50 years, yet they are poorly understood, and we lack any medical therapies. To improve our understanding of single ventricle PAVM initiation and progression, we developed a surgical rat model of Glenn circulation and characterized PAVM physiology over multiple time points. METHODS: Using adult rats, we performed a left thoracotomy and end-to-end anastomosis of the left superior vena cava to the left pulmonary artery (unilateral Glenn), or sham surgical control...