Background: The interaction between valvular aortic stenosis (AS) and arterial stiffness, as well as the impact of aortic valve replacement (AVR) on arterial stiffness, remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the degree of AS severity on non-invasive pulse wave velocity (PWV) measurements. We also searched whether the AVR procedure favorably affects PWV. Methods: In all, 38 patients undergoing AVR for chronic AS were included. The degree of aortic stiffness was measured with PWV at both baseline and 6 months after AVR. Improvement in aortic stiffness was defined as the absolute decrease in PWV at 6 months compared to the baseline value.

CTS is a rare congenital cardiac anomaly in which the results of the corrective surgery are encouraging. Early and long-term outcomes may be variable according to the associated congenital heart defects.

The objective of this clinical study is to determine whether correlation exists among cerebral and renal near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) measurements, renal Doppler ultrasonography parameters (resistive index, peak systolic velocity), and early postoperative clinical outcomes following cardiac surgery in neonates and infants. Thirty-seven patients undergoing surgery for congenital heart defects with an age of less than 3 months, all of whom were in the high-risk group according to Aristotle Basic Complexity risk stratification score, were enrolled in our study. Cerebral, renal NIRS values and renal Doppler ultrasonography measurements were recorded for each patient at the 4th postoperative hour. The renal resistive indices were calculated for each case, and the patients were divided into two groups according to renal resistive index (RI) values. Group I included the patients with a RI of greater than 0.8 (n = 25) and Group II included the patients with a RI of less than 0.8 (n = 12). The postoperative outcome parameters were compared in between two groups. Group I (RI >0.8) had lower postoperative mean urine output than Group II (RI <0.8) (P = 0.041). The lactate levels were significantly higher in Group I (P = 0.049), as well. The postoperative intensive care unit and hospital stay of Group I was significantly higher than Group II (P = 0.048). Both cerebral and renal NIRS values and the assessment of renal RI as well as peak systolic values can be used in order to predict the early clinical outcome in cardiac surgery patients in early infantile and neonatal period.

A 36-year-old young woman with a medical history of recurrent pulmonary embolism and chronic pelvic pain was admitted to our hospital. Contrast-enhanced imaging techniques revealed a large left renal vein aneurysm with a coexisting vascular mass. The patient was operated on electively, and the left kidney was autotransplanted to the right ileac fossa following the ex vivo resection of the vascular mass and the left renal vein aneurysm. Herein, we report an unusual coexistence of a vascular mass and recurrent pulmonary embolism treated successfully with our surgical treatment strategy.

Congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries is a rare congenital cardiac anomaly in which the results of the anatomical repair with double switch operation appear to be superior to that achieved by a physiological repair.