Background Transcatheter closure of perimembraneous ventricular septal defect still poses a challenge due to the adjacent structures of the tricuspid and aortic valves and the risk of atrioventricular block. We report our experience at 2 centers using the KONAR-MF (multifunctional occluder) ventricular septal defect device, which gained its CE mark in May 2018. Methods A retrospective study was carried out on all patients who underwent transcatheter ventricular septal defect closure with the KONAR-MF (multifunctional occluder) ventricular septal defect device at 2 centers. Results A total of 47 patients were identified. The median age and weight of the patients were 25.8 months and 11 kg. The ventricular septal defects that were closed in 5 cases were post-operative hemodynamically significant residual ventricular septal defects. Forty-eight devices were used in the 47 cases. As for the location of the ventricular septal defect, 40/48 (83.33%) ventricular septal defects were perimembranous and 8/48 (16.66%) were muscular. The percutaneous device closure was successful in 46 procedures (95.8%). Device embolization was observed in 2 patients, and a significant residual shunt was observed in 2 cases. In the follow-up, there was no enhancement in the residual shunt in the remaining cases. Temporary atrioventricular block occurred in 2 cases during the procedure and improved after long sheath withdrawal. Conclusion Soft, flexible, and low-profile KONAR-MF (multifunctional occluder) occluders ensure easy and safe implantation, and small sheath sizes allow for their use in small infants. Although near and mid-term follow-ups did not indicate any permanent atrioventricular block, a larger sample of patients and a longer follow-up period is necessary to understand long-term outcomes.

Infants who undergo cardiac surgery frequently have complications that may advance to multiple organ failure and result in mortality. This study aims to compare three different multiple organ dysfunction scoring systems: the Neonatal Multiple Organ Dysfunction (NEOMOD) score, the modified NEOMOD score, and the Pediatric Logistic Organ Dysfunction-2 (PELOD-2) score in predicting postoperative 30-day mortality in neonates undergoing cardiac surgery. This retrospective cohort study was conducted between January 2019 and February 2021 in a single unit on neonates operated on due to congenital heart disease in the first 28 days of life. Patients who underwent off-pump surgeries were excluded from the study. The NEOMOD, modified NEOMOD, and PELOD-2 scores were calculated for each of the first 3 days following surgery. A total of 138 patients were included. All scores had satisfactory goodness-of-fit and at least good discriminative ability on each day. The modified NEOMOD score consistently demonstrated the best prediction among these three scores after the first day, reaching its peak performance on day 2 (area under curve: 0.824, CI: 0.75–0.89). Our findings suggest that NEOMOD and modified NEOMOD scores in the first 72 h could potentially serve as a predictor of mortality in this population.

Objective Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality, especially in very‐low‐birth‐weight infants. The aim of the study is to report our single-center short-term results of preterm patients who underwent patent ductus arteriosus ligation through left anterior mini-thoracotomy . Methods Data of 27 preterm infants operated by the same surgeon who underwent PDA closure with left anterior minithoracotomy technique between November 2020 and January 2022 at a single instution were reviewed. The patients were divided into two groups according to their weight at the time of surgery. Data on early postoperative outcomes and survival rates after discharge were collected. Results Twenty-seven patients with a mean (±SD) gestational age of 25.8 (±2.0) weeks and a mean birth weight of 1027 (±423) g were operated using left anterior mini-thoracotomy technique. The lowest body weight was 480 g. Complications such as bleeding, abnormal healing of incision or pneumothorax were not seen. There were 8 mortalities after the operation (29,6 %). There was no internal thoracic artery injury or no need for conversion to thoracotomy or sternotomy. there were 6 (22%) deaths in the postoperative first 30 days and 4 (14,8%) deaths between the postoperative first month and first year. The cause of the deaths were sepsis, NEC, hydrops fetalis, hepatoblastoma and intracranial bleeding. Left diaphragmatic elevation developed in 1 patient, and plication was performed. There was no statistically significant difference in the rates of morbidity, and complication between the groups. Conclusions PDA closure with the left anterior mini-thoracotomy method is advantageous in terms of reducing damage to the already congested lung, shortening the hypothermia time of the baby by shortening the procedure time, and has good cosmetic results, especially in very low birth weight preterm babies.