A 62-year-old woman, asymptomatic and without significant medical history, was referred to a routine transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE). The TTE had no abnormal findings but showed, in subcostal view, three round images adjacent to the lateral wall of the right atrium. Color Doppler showed that these were apparently vascularized (, panels A and B, supplemental and ). A transesophageal echocardiogram showed a giant right coronary artery (RCA), apparently originating from the RCA ostium, with turbulent flow inside (, panel C, supplemental […]

Abstract Background Congenital heart disease (CHD) poses significant challenges in surgical management due to the complexity of cardiac anatomy. Three-dimensional (3D) printing has emerged as a promising tool in preoperative planning, intraoperative guidance, and medical education for CHD surgeries. Objectives We aimed to systematically review the literature on the utilization and benefits of 3D printing technology in CHD surgical interventions. Methods A systematic search was conducted across PubMed and EMBASE for studies published up to February of 2024. We included […]

Abstract Background Current guidelines advise exercise for most congenital heart disease patients (CHD). However, physical activity remains low in CHD individuals, with limited research on exercise’s effects in adults. Objectives The aim of this study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of exercise training on exercise capacity and quality of life in adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) patients. Methods We searched PubMed/Medline, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Scopus through December 2022 for randomized controlled trials assessing aerobic and […]

Heart defects are among the most common congenital malformations, occurring in 4 to 12 per 1,000 live births, depending on the population studied. Congenital heart disease (CHD) is an important cause of mortality related to birth defects. Therefore, prenatal diagnosis of CHD is crucial to improve the prognosis associated with this disease. In this scenario, the development of prenatal cardiac ultrasound screening programs serves as crucial tools that have increased the early detection of CHD. These programs achieve this by […]

Abstract Background Surgical site infection is an important complication after pediatric cardiac surgery, associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Objectives We sought to identify risk factors for surgical site infection after pediatric cardiac surgeries. Methods A case-control study included patients aged between 1 year and 19 years and 11 months of age, submitted to cardiac surgery performed at a tertiary cardiac center from January 1 st , 2011, through December 31, 2018. Charts were reviewed for pre-, intra, and postoperative […]

Abstract Background Despite reports of reduced physical fitness in children with congenital heart disease (CHD), no specific performance evaluations for activities of daily living have been conducted. Objectives The aim was to compare the activities of daily living, quality of life, posture, physical fitness and physical activity levels of children with CHD with healthy controls (HC). Methods The study included 30 children aged 6-14 diagnosed with moderate or severe CHD and 30 age-sex-matched HC. The sociodemographic and clinical data of […]

Abstract Background The presence of patent ductus arteriosus can be as high as 50% in preterm babies. Hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus is a common cause of delayed weaning of respiratory support and an important risk factor of necrotizing enterocolitis, intraventricular hemorrhage, and bronchopulmonary dysplasia in this population. Objective The aim of this study is to describe an initial experience of percutaneous closure of the ductus arteriosus in preterm infants weighing less than 2 kg. Methods This was a prospective […]