Long-term survival after Fontan procedure is encouraging, but late morbidity remains suboptimal. During follow-up, emerging complications should be managed by surgical and interventional procedures. Fenestration in Fontan circulation provided better cardiac output and lower incidence of late tachyarrhythmias, suggesting a benefit of fenestration for late outcome.
This study establishes a relationship between patients' perceptions of immunosuppression-related symptom experiences and the impact on QoL and adherence. Immunosuppression is accompanied by significant adverse effects in both symptom frequency and distress. Most frequently experienced symptoms do not necessarily have the greatest impact on perceived distress, and vice versa. High levels of adverse effects tend to negatively influence patients' QoL and adherence. Future research is required to understand the relationship of these complex variables.
Homograft implantation in the pulmonary position can be performed with good long-term freedom from explantation. However, freedom from degeneration is a matter of concern. Therefore, alternative valved conduits are required especially for pediatric patients.
Redo lung transplantation for end-stage bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome leads to acceptable long-term outcome in selected patients. Future analyses of redo lung transplantation data should generally stratify bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome from other indications with higher mortality.
Background-The in vivo regeneration capacity of decellularized heart valve grafts is still controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate function, morphological changes, and cellular composition of decellularized versus re-endothelialized ovine pulmonary valves (PV) after implantation into lambs for 1 or 3 months. Methods and Results-PV (nϭ21) were decellularized using detergents. Twelve PV were repopulated with autologous jugular veins endothelial cells (ECs) in a dynamic pulsatile bioreactor under simulated physiological conditions. Morphological evaluation before implantation included histological stainings (H&E, Movat-pentachrome, von-Kossa, DAPI), immunostainings (anti-perlecan, anti-eNOS, anti-procollagen-I, anti-SM-␣-actin), electron microscopy (EM), and DNA extraction. Decellularization led to cell-free scaffolds with preserved extracellular matrix (ECM) including basement membrane. Reseeded PV (nϭ5) were completely covered with ECs expressing endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and von Willebrand factor (vWF). The function of orthotopically implanted decellularized and re-endothelialized PV (nϭ7, each) was analyzed after 1 and 3 months by echocardiography and revealed no differences in competence between both groups. A confluent EC monolayer expressing eNOS/vWF was only found in re-endothelialized PV but not in decellularized PV, whereas the valve matrices were comparable repopulated with interstitial cells expressing SM-␣-actin and procollagen-I. More thrombotic and neointima formations were observed in decellularized PV. No signs of calcification were detected in both PV types.
Conclusion-In
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