Some patients with a risk of prolonged hospitalization may be identified preoperatively, the others just after the operation. Optimizing preoperative status and aggressive treatment of complications may have significant influence on the duration of hospitalization in intensive care units. The knowledge of risk factors may facilitate organizational procedures and rational bed management.

Modified Blalock-Taussig (B-T) shunt occlusion results in a sudden reduction of pulmonary vascular perfusion, causing dramatic saturation drop and cyanosis which pose a direct hazard to a child's life. The results of percutaneous local r-tpa infusion, balloon angioplasty and additionally stent implantation in obstructed modified B-T shunts were studied to assess their role as an alternative to a re-do surgery. We outline two pediatric centers' experience (period 2004-2008) regarding the effectiveness of various emergency treatment methods for occlusion or critical stenosis of systemic-to-pulmonary arterial shunts in 23 children. Local r-tpa infusion via catheter was performed in 12/23 patients, balloon angioplasty in 22/23 and additionally stent implantation in 3/23 children. Procedures were successful in 22/23 patients (96%), with an increase in arterial saturation [average: 30%; standard deviation (S.D.) 15%; Shapiro-Wilk test; dependent t-test-P<0.01]. Unrestricted contrast flow was achieved in 18 patients, reduced central flow in three and minimal flow in one child. Neither local nor systemic complications occurred. Our experience demonstrates the possibility of successful early shunt recanalization with the use of local thrombolytic therapy combined with the balloon angioplasty. The presence of old fixed thrombus with neointimal hypertrophy in the shunt constitutes an indication for endovascular stent implantation.

With the exception of patients whose circumflex artery branches off of the right coronary artery, an anomaly that clearly has no effect on postoperative follow-up, patients with unusual coronary patterns are at higher risk for adverse postoperative outcomes than patients with normal coronary anatomy and must be monitored carefully.

No abstract

We conclude that CVVHDF may be an alternative method of renal support for critically ill children after cardiac surgery in experienced centers, but a significant number of specific complications should be taken into account.

rFVIIa may be useful in preventing reexploration in uncontrolled postoperative bleeding in children undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. Randomized, placebo-controlled studies are needed to confirm the safety and efficacy of rFVIIa in this clinical setting.

The frequency of reoperations and percutaneous interventions in patients with TGA after the ASO remains low. The majority of the procedures are performed because of pulmonary stenosis and recoarctation of aorta. Cardiac anomalies associated with TGA have a significant impact on the incidence of reoperation and reintervention.

Ectopia cordis (EC) is a rare malformation due to failure of maturation of the midline mesodermal components of the chest and abdomen. It can be defined as a complete or partial displacement of the heart outside the thoracic cavity. It comprises 0.1% of congenital heart diseases. Common cardiac anomalies associated with EC are ventricular septal defect, atrial septal defect, and tetralogy of Fallot. EC and additional anomalies usually lead to intrauterine death. The possibility and efficacy of surgery in a surviving neonate depends on the degree of EC, coexisting congenital heart defects and extracardiac malformations. We present a case of prenatally diagnosed isolated EC diagnosed in the first half of pregnancy. After counseling, the patient decided to continue her pregnancy which ended with a newborn baby discharged from the hospital after cardiac surgery performed just after elective cesarean section.