ObjectiveTo summarize the minimally invasive experiences and medium-long-term results of perventricular device closure of ventricular septal defects (VSD) under transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) guidance.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the clinical data and medium-long-term follow-up results of 783 patients who undertook perventricular device closure under TEE guidance in Dalian Children’s Hospital from July 2011 to January 2020, in which perimembrane VSD were found in 598 patients, VSD with aortic valve prolapse in 135 patients and muscular VSD in 2 patients. There were 463 males and 320 females at age of 5 months to 13 years with average age of 3.3±1.2 years, and body weight of 5.9-51.0 (15.9±8.3) kg. The left ventricular defect diameter of the VSD ranged from 5.0 to 11.0 mm, with an average of 6.3±1.2 mm. The right ventricular defect diameter of the VSD ranged from 2.3 to 8.0 mm, with an average of 4.3±0.9 mm.ResultsThe procedures were completed successfully in 753 patients. The device of 1 patient (0.1%) fell off and embedded in the right pulmonary artery after the operation, and the occluder was taken out and the VSD was closed with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) in the secondary operation. One patient (0.1%) appeared Ⅲ degree atrioventricular block in 2 years after operation. The device was taken out and VSD was closed with CPB in the secondary operation, and the patient gradually reached to sinus rhythm in post-operation. Eight patients (1.1%) presented delayed pericardial effusion in 1 week after operation, and were cured by pericardiocentesis with ultrasound-guided. Symmetric occluders were used in 580 patients, eccentric occleders were used in 171 patients and muscular occluders were used in 2 patients. The follow-up time was 9 months to 9 years. The rate of loss to follow-up was 96.7% (704/728). No residual shunt, occlude-loss or arrhythmia was found during follow-up. Conclusion The minimally invasive penventricular device closure of VSD guided by TEE is safe and availabe. Medium-long-term follow-up results are satisfactory, it is worthy of clinical promotion, and longer term follow-up is still needed.
A case of a 4-month-old child with an aortopulmonary fenestration weighing 6.6 kg who underwent successful transthoracic minimally invasive occlusion in our hospital was reported in this article. The child was transferred from the intensive care unit (ICU) to the general ward 1 day after surgery and discharged 5 days later. Compared with conventional ligation or repair of extracorporeal circulation for the aortopulmonary fenestration, the transthoracic minimally invasive occlusion is characterized by less trauma and faster recovery. However, it requires strict surgical indications and is not suitable for all patients with aortopulmonary fenestration.
ObjectiveTo share the experience of treating special cardiac malformations by applying minimally invasive techniques.MethodsEight children with special cardiac malformations admitted to our hospital from July 2014 to September 2020 were recruited, including 3 males and 5 females, aged 0.8-1.2 (1.1±0.4) years, and weighted 7.8-11.5 (9.6±2.9) kg. There were 2 patients of huge muscular ventricular septal defect (VSD), 3 perimembranous cribriform VSD, 1 right coronary-right atrial fistula, 1 right coronary-right ventricular fistula, and 1 young, low-weight child with large aortopulmonary. All were treated with minimally invasive techniques using transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) as a guiding tool. All children received intraoperative TEE immediately to evaluate the curative effect of the surgery, and all went to outpatient clinic for reexamination of echocardiography, electrocardiogram and chest X-ray after discharge.ResultsEight children underwent minimally invasive surgery successfully without any incision infection, intracardiac infection, arrhythmia or pericardial effusion. None of the 8 children were lost to follow-up, and the results of all reexaminations were satisfactory.ConclusionThe application of minimally invasive techniques is a bold and innovative attempt for the treatment of a few special types of cardiac malformations. It has significant advantages in reducing trauma and medical costs in some suitable patients, and has certain clinical reference values.