An Up-to-Date Narrative Review on Congenital Heart Disease Percutaneous Treatment in Children Using Contemporary Devices

Abstract

Background: Congenital heart pathology has a significant burden regarding morbidity and mortality in the pediatric population. Several transcatheter interventions and devices have been designed as an alternative to surgical repair. Percutaneous interventions have been proven to yield good results in most cases but with less stress and trauma than that attributed to surgical treatment, especially in frail pediatric patients. We aimed to review the literature and to investigate the feasibility and efficacy of transcatheter interventions and implantable devices for congenital heart disease management in children. Methods: We performed a search in Scopus and MEDLINE databases using prespecified keywords to retrieve clinical studies published between 2000 and 2021. Results: This article provides an up-to-date review regarding the applicability of interventional techniques in simple inter-atrial or inter-ventricular defects, and in challenging congenital defects, such as hypoplastic left heart syndrome, tetralogy of Fallot, or coronary artery fistula. Furthermore, we reviewed recent indications for defibrillator and cardiac resynchronization therapy, and new and promising devices currently being tested. Conclusion: Transcatheter treatment represents a feasible and efficient alternative to surgical repair of congenital heart defects. Novel devices could extend the indications and possibilities of percutaneous interventions in pediatric patients with congenital heart diseases.

Supraventricular Tachy-arrhythmia Revealing an Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricle Cardiomyopathy in An Adolescent: Case Report

“…Signs and symptoms frequently found are palpitations, syncope, ventricular tachycardia, heart failure and more severely sudden death. The same symptoms were described in children aged 3 to 16 years (category of our patient) in several case reports [8]. The presentation and course of the disease vary considerably between patients, which is probably explained by the genetic heterogeneity of the disease [9].…”

Identification of SOX18 as a New Gene Predisposing to Congenital Heart Disease

“…Although some mild CHD can resolve spontaneously, severe CHD often leads to worse quality of life associated with health [ 7 , 8 , 9 ], reduced exercise tolerance [ 10 , 11 , 12 ], brain injury and neurodevelopmental anomaly [ 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 ], thromboembolism [ 17 , 18 ], infective endocarditis [ 19 , 20 ], pulmonary arterial hypertension [ 21 , 22 , 23 ], chronic kidney disease and acute kidney injury [ 24 , 25 , 26 ], impaired liver function [ 27 ], restrictive lung dysfunction [ 28 ], congestive heart failure [ 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 ], miscellaneous cardiac dysrhythmias [ 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 ], and cardiac demise [ 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 ]. Striking improvement has been achieved in pediatric cardiac surgical procedures and perioperative intensive care as well as transcatheter interventional treatment over recent decades, which dramatically alters the natural history of CHD, allowing ~95% of children suffering from CHD to survive into adulthood, hence generating an ever-increasing population of adults reaching fertile age; at present, adults already outstrip the number of children living with CHD [ 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 ]. Surprisingly, the prolonged lifespan of CHD s...…”

An Up-to-Date Literature Review on Ventricular Assist Devices Experience in Pediatric Hearts

“…This can lead to chronic disability, morbidity, and increased healthcare costs. Significant improvements in cardiovascular diagnosis and cardiothoracic surgery during the past century have boosted the survival of neonates with CHD [2].…”