Insertion of an epicardial pacemaker is a useful treatment for pediatric patients with an abnormal heart rhythm. However, there are limitations and concerns when implanting epicardial pacemakers in infants and neonates due to their small body size. We report a patient who experienced rare complications after implantation of a permanent pacemaker.

Recurrent ventricular arrhythmia can be fatal and cause serious complications, particularly when it is caused immediately after an operation. Incorrect placement of a Swan-Ganz catheter can trigger life-threatening ventricular arrhythmia, but even intensive care specialists tend to miss this fact. Here, we report a case of recurrent ventricular arrhythmia causing a severe hemodynamic compromise; the arrhythmia was induced by a severely angulated Swan-Ganz catheter. The recurrent ventricular arrhythmia was not controlled by any measures including repositioning of the catheter, until the complete removal of the Swan-Ganz catheter. It is necessary to keep in mind that the position of the pulmonary artery catheter should be promptly checked if there is intractable recurrent ventricular arrhythmia.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac* ; Catheters* ; Coronary Artery Bypass, Off-Pump* ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Critical Care ; Pulmonary Artery ; Specialization

Severe tricuspid regurgitation resulting from a flail leaflet is a rare cause of neonatal cyanosis. We report a neonate with profound cyanosis and severe tricuspid regurgitation caused by a rupture of the papillary muscle supporting the anterior leaflet, without other structural heart defects. Ductal patency could not be established. The repair of the tricuspid valve was performed after initial stabilization by using extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.
Cyanosis ; Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation ; Heart ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn* ; Papillary Muscles* ; Rupture ; Tricuspid Valve ; Tricuspid Valve Insufficiency*

BACKGROUND: We compared the mid-term results of the Cox maze IV procedure using argon-based cryoablation with a procedure using N2O-based cryoablation. METHODS: From May 2006 to June 2012, 138 patients (mean age, 58.2+/-11.0 years) underwent the Cox maze IV procedure. Eighty-five patients underwent the maze procedure using an N2O-based cryoprobe (group N), and 53 patients underwent the maze procedure using an argon-based cryoprobe (group A). Bipolar radiofrequency ablation was concomitantly used in 131 patients. The presence of atrial fibrillation immediately, 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years after surgery was compared. RESULTS: Early mortality occurred in 6 patients (4.3%). There were no differences in early mortality or postoperative complications between the two groups. Nineteen of 115 patients (16.5%) remained in atrial fibrillation at postoperative 12 months (14 of 80 patients (17.5%) in group N and 5 of 35 patients (14.3%) in group A, p=0.669). There were no differences in the number of patients who remained in atrial fibrillation at any of the time periods except in the immediate postoperative period. A multivariable analysis revealed that the energy source of cryoablation was not associated with the presence of atrial fibrillation at 1 year (p=0.862) and that a fine F wave (<0.1 mV) was the only risk factor predicting the presence of atrial fibrillation at 1 year (p<0.001, odds ratio=20.287). CONCLUSION: The Cox maze IV procedure using an argon-based cryoprobe was safe and effective compared with the maze procedure using an N2O-based cryoprobe in terms of operative outcomes and the restoration of sinus rhythm for up to 2 years after surgery.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Atrial Fibrillation ; Catheter Ablation ; Cryosurgery* ; Humans ; Mortality ; Postoperative Complications ; Postoperative Period ; Risk Factors

Cardiac complications such as arrhythmia and heart failure are common in Graves disease. Early detection and proper treatment of hyperthyroidism are important because cardiac complications are reported to be reversible if the thyroid function is normalized by medical treatment. We report here a case of cardiac complication of Graves disease that was too late to reverse with medical treatment and required surgical treatment.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Graves Disease* ; Heart Failure ; Heart Valve Diseases ; Hyperthyroidism ; Thyroid Gland

Shone complex is a rare congenital disorder that involves 4 obstructive lesions of the left heart, as follows: parachute mitral valve, supravalvular mitral ring, subaortic stenosis, and coarctation of the aorta. Incomplete forms with 2 or 3 of these lesions in adult patients have been rarely reported in the literature, meaning that insufficient general data exist concerning the surgical strategy and clinical follow-up. Herein, we report the case of a 31-year-old woman with a diagnosis of incomplete form of Shone complex with parachute mitral valve and coarctation of the aorta who underwent successful single-stage surgical repair.
Adult ; Aortic Coarctation ; Congenital, Hereditary, and Neonatal Diseases and Abnormalities ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; Humans ; Mitral Valve

Shone complex is a rare congenital disorder that involves 4 obstructive lesions of the left heart, as follows: parachute mitral valve, supravalvular mitral ring, subaortic stenosis, and coarctation of the aorta. Incomplete forms with 2 or 3 of these lesions in adult patients have been rarely reported in the literature, meaning that insufficient general data exist concerning the surgical strategy and clinical follow-up. Herein, we report the case of a 31-year-old woman with a diagnosis of incomplete form of Shone complex with parachute mitral valve and coarctation of the aorta who underwent successful single-stage surgical repair.

Background: The double-lumen cannula (DLC) has begun to be used worldwide for venovenous (VV) extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). We aimed to examine whether the DLC could be an effective tool in the treatment of pediatric respiratory failure in Korea. Methods: We reviewed the records of patients weighing under 15 kg who underwent ECMO due to respiratory failure between January 2017 and December 2018. Outcomes of ECMO using a DLC and conventional ECMO using central method or 2 peripheral cannulas were compared. Results: Twelve patients were treated with ECMO for respiratory failure. Among them, a DLC was used in 5 patients, the median age of whom was 3.8 months (interquartile range, 0.1–49.7 months). In these patients, the median values of pH, partial pressure of carbon dioxide, and partial pressure of oxygen were 7.09, 74 mm Hg, and 37 mm Hg before ECMO and corrected to 7.31, 44 mm Hg, and 85 mm Hg, respectively, after ECMO cannulation. Median blood flow rate in the patients treated with ECMO using a DLC was slightly higher than that in the conventional ECMO group, but this difference was not statistically significant (86.1 mL/kg/min and 74.3 mL/kg/min, respectively; p=1.00). One patient from the DLC group and 3 patients from the conventional group were weaned off ECMO. Conclusion VV ECMO using a DLC provided adequate oxygenation, ventilation, and blood flow rate in Korean pediatric patients with respiratory failure. Further prospective and randomized studies are warranted.