Palliative reconstruction of right ventricular outflow tract by using femoral vein allograft in a newborn with hypoplastic pulmonary artery and ventricular septal defect: case report

<p>Treating patients with pulmonary atresia and ventricular septal defect, who have hypoplastic native pulmonary arteries, is a challenge for cardiac surgeons. We have reported a case of successful pulmonary bed rehabilitation using a femoral vein allograft in a patient with pulmonary atresia and ventricular septal defect. No similar cases with a detailed description of surgery stages and pulmonary artery development supported by illustrative materials are described both in the literature. The strategy of rehabilitation of the native pulmonary artery bed facilitates antegrade pulmonary blood flow, increases native pulmonary arteries growth, contributes to successful implementation of staged endovascular interventions and allows for complete repair. The technique of “short” cardiopulmonary bypass with induced ventricular fibrillation is a safe and effective option for such patients. This clinical case might be useful in medical practice of pediatric cardiac surgeons involved in the problem of pulmonary artery rehabilitation.</p><p>Received 4 June 2018. Revised 4 July 2018. Accepted 5 July 2018.</p><p><strong>Informed consent:</strong> The legal representative (infant’s mother) has voluntarily given her written informed consent to use the infant’s medical data obtained in the course of treatment for scientific purposes and for their publication.</p><p><strong>Funding:</strong> The study had no sponsorship.</p><p><strong>Conflict of interest:</strong> Authors declare no conflict of interest.</p>

Cryopreserved saphenous vein allograft for infragenicular bypass in the presence of foot infection

We report our distal bypass experience with cryopreserved saphenous vein allograft (CSVA) in 12 patients presenting with infection and no autologous saphenous vein available. Twelve patients underwent 13 arterial reconstructions. The mean age of the cohort was 68.4 years. Ninety-two percent (92%) of the patients presented with Rutherford Class 5 or 6 disease which required wide debridement and copious irrigation of all infected tissue beds. All distal anastomoses were to infragenicular vessels. Two patients died with patent grafts during follow-up for an 83% survival rate. Three grafts failed during follow-up between one and 36.3 months, of which two underwent amputation for an 82% limb salvage rate. The primary and primary assisted patency rate was 40% and 60% at 18 months follow-up, respectively, and no recurrent infections. In patients who have complex risk factors and the presence of infection, CSVA appears to be a reasonable option for limb salvage.

Aortocarotid bypass for hemispheric hypoperfusion in a child

✓ Large-vessel vasculitis syndromes in the pediatric population are rare and highly morbid. The authors here report on the microsurgical revascularization of a unique case of presumed vasculitis with aortitis and severe obliterative arteriopathy in a 10-month-old child with symptomatic hemispheric hypoperfusion. Using a cryopreserved saphenous vein, this unilateral aortocarotid bypass restored normal intracranial perfusion bilaterally and led to a resolution of the patient's ischemic symptoms. The aortocarotid bypass is clinically effective and technically feasible in young children when a saphenous vein allograft is used. The bypass graft is amenable to angioplasty with or without stenting if delayed stenosis becomes an issue later in life.