Objective:Transposition of the great arteries is a common congenital heart disease. Arterial switch is the gold standard operation for this complex heart disease. Arterial switch operation in the presence of intramural coronary artery is surgically the most demanding even for the most experienced hands. We are presenting our experience with a modified technique for intramural coronary arteries in arterial switch operation.Methods:This prospective study involves 450 patients undergoing arterial switch operation at our institute from April 2006 to December 2013 (7.6 years). Eighteen patients underwent arterial switch operation with intramural coronary artery. The coronary patterns and technique used are detailed in the text.Results:The overall mortality found in the subgroup of 18 patients having intramural coronary artery was 16% (n=3). Our first patient had an accidental injury to the left coronary artery and died in the operating room. A seven-day old newborn died from intractable ventricular arrhythmia fifteen hours after surgery. Another patient who had multiple ventricular septal defects with type B arch interruption died from residual apical ventricular septal defect and sepsis on the eleventh postoperative day. The remainder of the patients are doing well, showing a median follow-up duration of 1235.34±815.26 days (range 369 - 2730).Conclusion:Transposition of the great arteries with intramural coronary artery is demanding in a subset of patients undergoing arterial switch operation. We believe our technique of coronary button dissection in the presence of intramural coronary arteries using coronary shunt is simple and can be a good addition to the surgeons' armamentarium.

ObjectiveMidline sternotomy is the preferred approach for device migration following transcatheter device closure of ostium secundum atrial septal defect. Results of patients operated for device migration were retrospectively reviewed after transcatheter closure of atrial septal defect.MethodsAmong the 643 patients who underwent atrial septal defect with closure device, 15 (2.3%) patients were referred for device retrieval and surgical closure of atrial septal defect. Twelve patients underwent device retrieval and surgical closure of atrial septal defect through right antero-lateral minithoracotomy with femoral cannulation. Three patients were operated through midline sternotomy.ResultsTwelve patients operated through minithoracotomy did not require conversion to sternotomy. Due to device migration to site of difficult access through thoracotomy, cardiac tamponade and hemodynamic instability, respectively, three patients were operated through midline sternotomy. Mean aortic cross-clamp time and cardiopulmonary bypass time were 28.1±17.7 and 58.3±20.4 minutes, respectively. No patient had surgical complication or mortality. Mean intensive care unit and hospital stay were 1.6±0.5 days and 7.1±2.2 days, respectively. Postoperative echocardiography confirmed absence of any residual defect and ventricular dysfunction. In a mean follow-up period of six months, no mortality was observed. All patients were in New York Heart Association class I without wound or vascular complication.ConclusionMinithoracotomy with femoral cannulation for cardiopulmonary bypass is a safe-approach for selected group of patients with device migration following transcatheter device closure of atrial septal defect without increasing the risk of cardiac, vascular or neurological complications and with good cosmetic and surgical results.

BACKGROUND Right minithoracotomy and lower partial sternotomy are usual approaches for mini-invasive repair of congenital cardiac defects with a better cosmetic outcome. These approaches have been inadequate for repair of TOF due to limited exposure of the Right Ventricular Outflow Tract (RVOT) and pulmonary artery. Mini-left thoracotomy approach is sternal sparing and has the advantages of a cosmetic mini incision for surgical correction of patients with Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF). MATERIALS AND METHODS From December 2013 and January 2015, 27 paediatric patients (15 females) with mean age 13.2 years and mean weight 26.7 kg underwent intracardiac repair for TOF. A mini-left thoracotomy in third intercostal space involving a 3-5cm skin incision was used in all the patients. In 12 patients, pulmonary annulus was preserved and infundibular muscle resection was performed through RVOT. Fifteen patients received transannular patch. Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD) was closed through right ventriculotomy in all the patients.

Marfan syndrome commonly affects the skeletal, ocular, and cardiovascular systems. Involvement of the gastrointestinal system is known but uncommon. Intervention depends upon the system involved and the severity of symptoms. Special awareness is required for the diagnosis and management of gastrointestinal involvement in these patients. We report a rare case of simultaneous surgical repair of an ascending aortic aneurysm and a type IV hiatal hernia in a 35-year-old man with Marfan syndrome.

Congenital left ventricular aneurysm (CLVA) associated with multiple aneurysms with rupture into the left atrium (LA) is rare. We report a 17-year-old male with two CLVAs, one of which ruptured into the LA, and discuss the surgical management and review the literature of this rare disease.