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Giovanni Stellin

Publications and source records attributed to Giovanni Stellin.

35 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2005

Factors affecting left ventricular remodelling and mechanics in the long-term follow-up after successful repair of aortic coarctation.

AIMS: To identify factors predisposing to abnormal left ventricular geometry and mechanics in 52 patients after successful repair of aortic coarctation. METHODS AND RESULTS: We evaluated left ventricular remodelling, systolic midwall mechanics, and isthmic gradient by echo-Doppler, systemic blood pressure at rest/exercise and by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, and the aortic arch by magnetic resonance imaging. Echocardiographic findings were compared with those of 142 controls. The patients with aortic coarctation showed an increased indexed left ventricular end-diastolic volume, increased mass index, increased ratio of mass to volume and systolic chamber function. The contractility, estimated at midwall level, was increased in 21 percent of the patients. In 26 (50 percent) of the patients, we found abnormal left ventricular geometry, with 9 percent showing concentric remodelling, 33 percent eccentric hypertrophy, and 8 percent concentric hypertrophy. These patients were found to be older, underwent a later surgical repair, and to have higher systolic blood pressures at rest and exercise as well as during ambulatory monitoring. The relative mural thickness and mass index of the left ventricle showed a significant correlation with different variables on uni- and multivariate analysis. Age and diastolic blood pressure at rest are the only factors associated with abnormal left ventricular remodelling. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who have undergone a seemingly successful surgical repair of aortic coarctation may have persistently abnormal geometry with a hyperdynamic state of the left ventricle. This is more frequent in older patients, and in those with higher diastolic blood pressures.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Anomalous origin of one pulmonary artery from the ascending aorta.

UNLABELLED: We describe the surgical repair in three infants presenting with one pulmonary artery arising from the ascending aorta, the other artery arising normally from the right ventricle via the pulmonary trunk. Repair consisted of reimplantation of the anomalous pulmonary artery to the pulmonary trunk, in association with repair of associated intracardiac malformations. All patients survived the surgical procedures, and were discharged in stable clinical condition. Subsequently, two of the three patients developed stenosis at the surgical anastomosis relatively early after the initial procedure, and underwent reoperation. Although survival after operation is now expected for this malformation, reports of late results are lacking. Larger numbers of operations are needed before we can reach definitive conclusions. The origin of one branch pulmonary artery from the ascending aorta in the presence of a pulmonary valve and main pulmonary artery is a very rare congenital cardiac anomaly. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between January 1995 and June 2003, 3 infant girls presented with the origin of one branch artery from the ascending aorta, while the other pulmonary artery originated from the pulmonary trunk which was in continuity with the right ventricular outflow tract. The pulmonary artery that arose from the right ventricle was left in 2 and right in 1 patient. RESULTS: At the age 13, 48 and 62 days respectively, the patients underwent surgical repair consisting with reimplantation of the anomalous pulmonary artery branch to the pulmonary trunk in association with repair of intracardiac malformations. There were no hospital deaths. Postoperative complications included: prolonged intubation in two patients (10 and 16 days), low output syndrome in 1 patient, cardiac tamponade in 1 patient and seizures in 1 patient. All patients were discharged in good clinical condition. There have been no late deaths. Subsequently, two of the three patients developed stenosis at the surgical anastomosis relatively early after the initial procedure, and after unsuccessful balloon dilation, underwent surgical reoperation. CONCLUSIONS: Although operative survival is now possible for this malformation, reports of late results are lacking. Two of the three patients developed stenosis at the surgical anastomosis relatively early after surgery. Larger numbers of operations are necessaries to reach definitive conclusions.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗
PubMed2004

Lessons learned from the data analysis of the second harvest (1998-2001) of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) Congenital Heart Surgery Database.

OBJECTIVE: The analysis of the second harvest of the STS Congenital Heart Surgery Database produced meaningful outcome data and several critical lessons relevant to congenital heart surgery outcomes analysis worldwide. METHODS: This data harvest represents the first STS multi-institutional experience with software utilizing the nomenclature and database requirements adopted by the STS and EACTS (April 2000 Annals of Thoracic Surgery). Members of the STS Congenital Heart Committee analyzed the STS data. RESULTS: This STS harvest includes data from 16 centers (12787 cases, 2881 neonates, 4124 infants). In 2002, the EACTS reported similar outcome data utilizing the same database definitions (41 centers, 12736 cases, 2245 neonates, 4195 infants). Lessons from the analysis include: (1) Death must be clearly defined. (2) The Primary Procedure in a given operation must be documented. (3) Inclusionary and exclusionary criteria for all diagnoses and procedures must be agreed upon. (4) Missing data values remain an issue for the database. (5) Generic terms in the nomenclature lists, that is terms ending in Not Otherwise Specified (NOS), are redundant and decrease the clarity of data analysis. (6) Methodology needs to be developed and implemented to assure and verify data completeness and data accuracy. 'Operative Mortality' and 'Mortality Assigned to this Operation' were defined by the STS and EACTS; these definitions were not utilized uniformly. 'Thirty Day Mortality' was problematic because some centers did not track mortality after hospital discharge. Only 'Mortality Prior to Discharge' was consistently reported. Designation of Primary Procedure for a given operation determines its location for analysis. Until Complexity Scores lead to automated methodology for choosing the Primary Procedure, the surgeon must designate the Primary Procedure. Inclusionary and exclusionary criteria for all diagnoses and procedures have been developed in an effort to define acceptable concomitant diagnoses and procedures for each analysis. Improvements in data completeness can be achieved using a variety of techniques including developing more functional techniques of data entry at individual institutions and software improvements. Future versions of the STS Congenital Database will request that the coding of diagnoses and procedures avoid the terms ending in NOS. CONCLUSIONS: Lessons from this data harvest should improve congenital heart surgery outcome analysis.

Databases, Factual↗
PubMed2004

Thoracoscopic closure of the patent arterial duct.

Video assisted thoracoscopic surgery for closure of the persistently patent arterial duct is an effective answer to the modern effort of seeking repair of congenital cardiac malformations with minimally invasive techniques. Between June, 1994, and December, 2002, 150 consecutive patients with an echocardiographic diagnosis of isolated patency of the arterial duct were referred to our Institution for video assisted thoracoscopic closure. The median age at the time of operation was 45 months, with a range from 3 to 161 months, and mean weight was 18 kg, with a range from 4.2 to 73 kg. Video assisted closure was possible in 139 patients (93%). The mean operative time was 37 min, with a range from 14 to 89 min. In the remaining 11 patients (7%), seen early in our experience, we converted to a mini-thoracotomy to achieve closure. In no instance did we encounter major haemorrhage requiring blood transfusion, and there were no hospital deaths. The mean period of stay in hospital was less than 24 h in 61 patients, less than 48 h in 88 patients seen earlier in our experience, and 21 days in 1 patient because of a persistent chylothorax. Other complications included palsy of the left recurrent laryngeal nerve in 1 patient, with partial regression at 6 months follow-up. We conclude that closure of the arterial duct by video-assisted thoroscopy combines the advantages of safe and complete extraluminal occlusion with an excellent clinical and aesthetic result, minimal postoperative pain, and short stay in hospital at low cost.

Cardiac Surgical Procedures↗
PubMed2004

An unusual case of aorto-left ventricular tunnel.

An asymptomatic 4-year-old child was referred to our Institution with a provisional diagnosis of severe aortic valvar regurgitation in association with a ventricular septal defect. Intraoperatively, the aortic valve appeared bicuspid, and a tunnel of 7 mm diameter extending between the aorta and the left ventricle was found dividing the anterior commissure into two hemi-commissures. Repair was achieved by reconstructing the anterior commissure by direct reapproximation, and simultaneous obliteration of the aortic side of the tunnel. The aortic valvar leaflet was resuspended onto the arterial wall. This combined approach will hopefully reinforce the poorly supported aortic sinus, and may maintain aortic valvar competence over the long term. Our intraoperative diagnosis of aorto-left ventricular tunnel suggests consideration of this diagnosis when evaluating any patient with suspected aortic valvar incompetence.

Aorta↗
PubMed2003

Radiofrequency ablation through a right atrium incision in congenital atrial septal defect.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of atrial fibrillation is similar in the clinical history of patients with atrial septal defect, either surgically corrected and uncorrected. We present an unpublished technique for treating atrial fibrillation by left endocardial radiofrequency ablation through the lone right atrium incision, coupled to atrial septal defect septum primum and secundum closure, thus reducing the surgical trauma related to paraseptal left atrium incision. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We treated 2 patients through a lone right atrium incision by radiofrequency ablation because of congenital atrial septal defect and chronic atrial fibrillation. RESULTS: The patients after defect closure were weaned off cardiopulmonary bypass in sinus rhythm. The postoperative hospital stay was uneventful and at more than 1 year of follow-up they are still in sinus rhythm. CONCLUSIONS: The radiofrequency ablation procedure is possible through the lone right atrium incision, avoiding any further incision and new source of possible bleeding when in presence of interatrial septal defects, and the technique is simple and useful.

Aged↗
PubMed2002

Systolic and diastolic performance late after the Fontan procedure for a single ventricle and comparison of those undergoing operation at <12 months of age and at >12 months of age.

To evaluate whether surgical history can influence systolic and diastolic properties of a functional single left ventricle after Fontan operation, we echocardiographically investigated 31 patients (mean age 93.7 months; range 21 to 276); 21 patients were >12 months of age (group A) and 10 were <12 months of age (group B) at the time of the Fontan and/or cavopulmonary procedure. In group A we found persistent abnormalities of left ventricular mass index (95.9 vs 64.1 g/m(2), p <0.05) at long-term follow-up, whereas group B had normal left ventricular mass (61.9 vs 64.1 g/m2, p = NS). In contrast, a diastolic pattern characterized by augmented late diastolic filling was present in both patient groups regardless of age at operation and length of follow-up (E/A in group A 1.3 +/- 0.4, E/A in group B 1.6 +/- 1.5, E/A in controls 1.7 +/- 0.6; A vs B, p = NS; A vs controls, p <0.05). We concluded that patients with a single left ventricle who undergo an unloading procedure performed within the first year of life have complete normalization of left ventricular mass, although a diastolic filling pattern suggestive of augmented compliance persists, regardless of the age at operation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Fatal aortoesophageal fistula in two cases of tight vascular ring.

Vascular rings are rare vascular congenital anomalies causing oesophageal and tracheal compression. An aortoesophageal fistula is a devastating, in part iatrogenic, complication of vascular rings. It is seen with increasing frequency, and can be misleading, since differential diagnosis with other causes of haematemesis and melaena is often difficult, especially in infants. We report two infants with aortoesophageal fistulas secondary to double aortic arches forming a vascular ring. In both, the diagnosis was missed, and massive haemorrhage led to death. In both cases, the fissuration on the oesophageal and aortic sides of the fistula had sharp edges, highly suggestive of an iatrogenic laceration caused by manipulation of nasogastric tubes. The key for the diagnosis of vascular rings is, therefore, clinical suspicion and awareness of this condition. Prompt identification in infants with stridor, wheezing, or respiratory distress can prevent prolonged intubation, thus avoiding the formation of an aortoesophageal fistula and hopefully preventing a fatal outcome.

Aorta, Thoracic↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Left atrial myxoma in a child: case report and review of the literature.

A left atrial mass in a 2.7-year-old girl who presented with congestive heart failure, which surgical pathology revealed to be a myxoma, is reported. The timely precise diagnosis obtained by means of two-dimensional echocardiography allowed the immediate surgical treatment of this rare, benign but potentially lethal cardiac tumor in infancy.

Child, Preschool↗