A case of progressive pulmonary hypertension in a child with a small ventricular septal defect is presented. Natural history studies have indicated that children with small ventricular septal defects can be followed conservatively. This case represents a contradiction to that rule and suggests that further study must be directed toward defining the etiology of pulmonary hypertension in patients...

A short axis echocardiographic cut of the heart from the subcostal approach was used to study the atrioventricular junction in 47 infants and children with congenital heart disease and 20 with normal hearts. Examination of the diastolic openings of both atrioventricular valves was able to establish normal developments of the valves and annuli even when this was found in cases of complex congeni...

Ectopia cordis (EC) is a rare malformation due to failure of maturation of the midline mesodermal components of the chest and abdomen. It can be defined as a complete or partial displacement of the heart outside the thoracic cavity. It comprises 0.1% of congenital heart diseases. Common cardiac anomalies associated with EC are ventricular septal defect, atrial septal defect, and tetralogy of Fa...

We report the case of a patient with known Eisenmenger syndrome due to congenital ventricular septal defect, who developed pulmonary artery dissection. The patient was successfully treated with heart and lung transplantation.

Most maternal cardiac disease in Western societies is now congenital in origin. This relates to the significant improvements in congenital cardiac surgery during the last years. Some patients will present for the first time in pregnancy with symptoms and learn that they have congenital heart disease. So all patients should have a detailed evaluation and appropriate counseling before pregnancy. ...

Abstract Background A higher prevalence of congenital heart defects (CHD) in neuroblastoma patients in general population is reported in some publications, however, some authors did not find such an association. The evidence for this relation comes from the observation that, the neural crest cells accompany to the development of the heart and neuroblastoma as well. Materials and Methods We...

The heart is the first functioning organ to develop during embryogenesis. The formation of the heart is a tightly regulated and complex process, and alterations to its development can result in congenital heart defects. Mutations in sarcomeric proteins, such as alpha myosin heavy chain and cardiac alpha actin, have now been associated with congenital heart defects in humans, often with atrial s...

The incidence of congenital heart disease is approximately 8/1,000 live births and appears to be constant around the world. The currently accepted paradigm for the development of pulmonary vascular disease associated with congenital heart disease maintains that increased pulmonary blood flow and pressure trigger unfavorable vascular remodeling. Endothelial cell dysfunction, abnormal shear stres...

We present the case of a 45-year-old woman with recent onset of dipnea and atrial fibrillation. She was referred to our center for treatment of an associated ventricular septal defect. Echocardiography confirmed the presence of a membranous ventricular septal defect, but also showed signs of constriction. Cardiac computed tomography displayed a severe, diffuse calcified pericarditis. We show th...