No abstract

These data demonstrate that normal cardiac chamber dimensional growth occurs at greater than 3 years' follow-up after pediatric heart transplantation. Significant LV and septal (and to a lesser extent RV) hypertrophy persists and may have implications for long-term allograft growth and function.

The effects of intravenous pentobarbital were studied in dogs. Plasma pentobarbital concentrations were inversely related to epinephrine and norepinephrine concentrations. Plasma catecholamines appeared fully suppressed at pentobarbital levels greater than 25-30 micrograms/ml. Furthermore, pentobarbital levels were negatively related to rectal temperature, heart rate, and mean blood pressure. The methods of pentobarbital administration influenced plasma pentobarbital as well as epinephrine and norepinephrine levels, temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure. These observations suggest the possibility that pentobarbital inhibits the sympathetic nervous system, which in turn may affect temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure. Because pentobarbital anesthesia affects plasma catecholamine concentrations, the regimen used in animal models requires consideration when interpreting data potentially influenced by the sympathetic nervous system.

Multicenter prospective longitudinal neurodevelopmental outcome studies of infant heart transplant patients should be conducted to provide a more efficient basis for evaluating management protocols and assessment of long-term outcomes and of the need for early intervention services.

CONGENITAL stenosis of the pulmonary artery branches is an anomaly characterized by narrowed segments of one or more of the main or peripheral branches of the pulmonary artery. Such conditions lhave been variously labeled pulmonary coaretation,' peripheral pulmonary stenosis,2 and multiple peripheral stenoses 3 of the pulmonary artery. Several cases of this anomaly have appeared in the literature 1-17 since its first description by Oppenheimer4 in 1938. The problems produced by stenosis of the branches of the pulmonary artery are related to diagnosis and to the difficulties that they may present in the correction of associated cardiovascular defects.It is the purpose of this paper to review our experience with 18 cases of steniosis of the pulmonary artery branches (cases 1 to 18) encountered at the Mayo Clinic with particular regard for diagnosis in the presence of infundibular or valvular pulmonary stenosis and for the role of branch stenosis in the surgical therapy of associated cardiovascular abnormalities. Cases Studied and Procedures UsedTen of the 18 patients were males, and eight were females. Eight patients were 3 years old or less, six were 5 to 10 years old, and four were 17 to 21 years of age. A complete history and physical examination, roentgenogram of the thorax, and electrocardiogram were obtained in each case.Sixteen patients underwent special investigation that utilized cardiac catheterization for From the Mayo Clinic and Mayo Foundation, Rochester, Minnesota.