ECPR successfully rescued some pediatric patients who failed rescue with conventional in-hospital CPR. Good neurologic outcomes were achieved in the majority of the survivors. Early cohort and post-ECPR renal failure were associated with mortality.

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This study is based on a database of 16 years; we sought to define the incidence and outcome of scimitar syndrome. Of 8,771 patients, 5 (0.057%) with scimitar syndrome were identified and constituted the study population. Follow-up ranged from 1 to 16 years (median: 10 years). Diagnosis was assured by computed tomography in four patients and by cardiac catheterization in one. Two patients presented with respiratory distress soon after birth and required early pneumonectomy in one case and coil embolization of the abnormal feeding arteries to the right lower lung followed by surgical rerouting of the abnormal pulmonary vein and repair of the atrial septal defect in the other case. The former was supported by ventilator therapy for 3 years after pneumonectomy, but was finally weaned from the ventilator. Among the other three, two had repeated pneumonia that resolved after rerouting of the abnormal right pulmonary vein and cardiac repair. The asymptomatic child did not receive any intervention. In spite of the abnormal orientation of the airways, none of the four patients with detailed computed tomography imaging showed any significant compression of the airways. All five patients were doing well as of the last follow-up. In conclusion, scimitar syndrome is a very rare disease in this Asian country and the varied symptoms, such as tachypnea and repeated infection, could be improved after interventions.

In ACHD, female gender was associated with poor physical and psychological QoL. The common denominators for QoL were primarily personality trait, psychological distress and family support, but not disease severity.

Clinical results of medical treatment using current antibiotics in patients with infected aortic aneurysm were poor. Traditional surgical excision of infected aortic aneurysms with revascularization remains the gold standard and should be attempted except in high risk patients.

Background— Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) is the most common cyanotic congenital heart disease in Taiwan. This study investigates the long-term survival and risks of TOF in an Asian cohort. Methods and Results— This study enrolled 819 consecutive patients with TOF (61.1% male), who received total correction between 1970 and 2002, as participants. Patient medical records were reviewed, and the survival status of those out of contact was confirmed by death records retrieved from the National Health database. The mean (±SD) patient age at cardiac repair was 6.5±7.6 years, and a prior shunt operation was performed in 119 (14.5%) of the patients. At cardiac repair, a transannular patch for right ventricle outlet reconstruction was required in 444 (54.2%) of the patients. After 13 808 patient-years of follow-up, the 30-year survival rate was 90.5%. The annual mortality rate increased from 0.123% in the initial 15 years after repair to 0.395% thereafter ( P <0.05). The presence of major aortopulmonary collateral arteries, older operative age, and previous shunt operation are independent risks of late cardiac deaths. Secondary to cardiac mortality, unnatural deaths (accident and suicide) accounted for 27.6% of late deaths, significantly higher compared with that of the general population (odds ratio, 2.18; P =0.028). Conclusions— In this Asian TOF cohort, except for a late decrease after 15 years, long-term survival after cardiac repair was satisfactory. Although cardiac death was the most common cause of late death, accidents or suicide may also be associated with late mortality, suggesting a potential role for psychosocial support.

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