Objective:To evaluate the clinical outcomes of right vertical infra-axillary thoracotomy technique (RVIAT) versus traditional median sternotomy (MS) for ventricular septal defect (VSD) repair in infants weighing ≤5 kg.The study further investigates the safety and feasibility of these two surgical approaches.Methods:Retrospective case-series study.Three hundred and fourteen children weighing no more than 5 kg who received VSD repair in Fuwai Central China Cardiovascular Hospital from January 2020 to June 2024 were analysized.Of these children, 252 cases who underwent RVIAT were included in the RVIAT group, and 62 cases who received traditional MS were classified as the MS group.Clinical data such as day age, body mass, the VSD type and diameter were compared between the 2 groups.The operation time, extracorporeal circulation time, block and postoperative mechanical ventilation time, intensive care unit (ICU) treatment time, 24-hour postoperative chest drainage volume and intraoperative bleeding, postoperative secondary intubation, and cardiac arrhythmia of the 2 groups of patients were recorded.Children with unstable blood pressure and active bleeding after taking vasoactive and hemostatic drugs underwent a secondary surgery.The peak airway pressure, oxygenation index, and lung dynamic compliance of the 2 groups of children were recorded before chest opening, immediately after surgery, and 24 hours after surgery. t test, χ2 test and rank sum test were used to compare the clinical data, perioperative results, complications and lung function data of the two groups. Results:(1) No significant differences were observed between the two groups in gender, age, body mass, VSD type and diameter, preoperative pneumonia, and mechanical ventilation rate (all P>0.05).(2) One-stage VSD repair was successfully completed in all cases.In the MS group, 1 infant required a secondary surgery for pericardial tamponade due to excessive bleeding.In the RVIAT group, 1 case necessitated a secondary surgery for third-degree atrioventricular block.Two cases in the MS group and 3 cases in the RVIAT group suffered postoperative arrhythmia, all of who supplemented electrolytes, received a secondary surgery to remove patches and adjust suture positions, and took antiarrhythmic drugs to restore sinus rhythm.(3) The operation time [(137.4±9.1) minutes], hospital stay [(8.2±2.1) days], postoperative mechanical ventilation time [8.0 (6.0, 13.0) hours], postoperative ICU stay [2.9 (2.0, 3.6) days], 24-hour postoperative chest drainage volume [(11.3±1.2) mL], intraoperative bleeding [(11.6±1.2) mL], and hospital costs [(70±7) thousand yuan], the postoperative incidence of incision infection [0.4%(1/252)] and the postoperative incidence of sternal malformation (0) in the RVIAT group were significantly lower than those in the MS group [(151.9±20.2) minutes, (13.1±1.7) days, 12.0 (9.0, 15.0) hours, 2.9 (2.5, 3.7) days, (14.3±1.6) mL, (15.8±2.0) mL, (78±4) thousand yuan, 4.8%(3/62), and 4.8%(3/62), respectively] (all P<0.05).There was no significant difference in extracorporeal circulation time, aortic occlusion time, postoperative arrhythmia rate, residual shunt, and atelectasis between the two groups (all P>0.05).(4) The peak airway pressure, oxygenation index and lung dynamic compliance before chest opening, immediately after surgery, and 24 hours after surgery did not differ significantly between the two groups (all P>0.05). Conclusions:In infants with low body mass (≤5 kg), RVIAT for VSD repair offers good exposure through a small incision, capable of reducing operation time, intraoperative bleeding, postoperative hospital stay, and hospital costs, and facilitating faster recovery.With high safety and effects, RVIAT can be considered as a viable alternative to MS.

Objective:To evaluate the clinical outcomes of right vertical infra-axillary thoracotomy technique (RVIAT) versus traditional median sternotomy (MS) for ventricular septal defect (VSD) repair in infants weighing ≤5 kg.The study further investigates the safety and feasibility of these two surgical approaches.Methods:Retrospective case-series study.Three hundred and fourteen children weighing no more than 5 kg who received VSD repair in Fuwai Central China Cardiovascular Hospital from January 2020 to June 2024 were analysized.Of these children, 252 cases who underwent RVIAT were included in the RVIAT group, and 62 cases who received traditional MS were classified as the MS group.Clinical data such as day age, body mass, the VSD type and diameter were compared between the 2 groups.The operation time, extracorporeal circulation time, block and postoperative mechanical ventilation time, intensive care unit (ICU) treatment time, 24-hour postoperative chest drainage volume and intraoperative bleeding, postoperative secondary intubation, and cardiac arrhythmia of the 2 groups of patients were recorded.Children with unstable blood pressure and active bleeding after taking vasoactive and hemostatic drugs underwent a secondary surgery.The peak airway pressure, oxygenation index, and lung dynamic compliance of the 2 groups of children were recorded before chest opening, immediately after surgery, and 24 hours after surgery. t test, χ2 test and rank sum test were used to compare the clinical data, perioperative results, complications and lung function data of the two groups. Results:(1) No significant differences were observed between the two groups in gender, age, body mass, VSD type and diameter, preoperative pneumonia, and mechanical ventilation rate (all P>0.05).(2) One-stage VSD repair was successfully completed in all cases.In the MS group, 1 infant required a secondary surgery for pericardial tamponade due to excessive bleeding.In the RVIAT group, 1 case necessitated a secondary surgery for third-degree atrioventricular block.Two cases in the MS group and 3 cases in the RVIAT group suffered postoperative arrhythmia, all of who supplemented electrolytes, received a secondary surgery to remove patches and adjust suture positions, and took antiarrhythmic drugs to restore sinus rhythm.(3) The operation time [(137.4±9.1) minutes], hospital stay [(8.2±2.1) days], postoperative mechanical ventilation time [8.0 (6.0, 13.0) hours], postoperative ICU stay [2.9 (2.0, 3.6) days], 24-hour postoperative chest drainage volume [(11.3±1.2) mL], intraoperative bleeding [(11.6±1.2) mL], and hospital costs [(70±7) thousand yuan], the postoperative incidence of incision infection [0.4%(1/252)] and the postoperative incidence of sternal malformation (0) in the RVIAT group were significantly lower than those in the MS group [(151.9±20.2) minutes, (13.1±1.7) days, 12.0 (9.0, 15.0) hours, 2.9 (2.5, 3.7) days, (14.3±1.6) mL, (15.8±2.0) mL, (78±4) thousand yuan, 4.8%(3/62), and 4.8%(3/62), respectively] (all P<0.05).There was no significant difference in extracorporeal circulation time, aortic occlusion time, postoperative arrhythmia rate, residual shunt, and atelectasis between the two groups (all P>0.05).(4) The peak airway pressure, oxygenation index and lung dynamic compliance before chest opening, immediately after surgery, and 24 hours after surgery did not differ significantly between the two groups (all P>0.05). Conclusions:In infants with low body mass (≤5 kg), RVIAT for VSD repair offers good exposure through a small incision, capable of reducing operation time, intraoperative bleeding, postoperative hospital stay, and hospital costs, and facilitating faster recovery.With high safety and effects, RVIAT can be considered as a viable alternative to MS.

Objective:To analyze the short and mid-term efficacy of aortic valvuloplasty with autopericardium on children with aortic valve diseases.Methods:A total of 26 children with aortic valve diseases (stenosis or regurgitation) who underwent aortic valvuloplasty with autopericardium in Fuwai Central China Cardiovascular Hospital from September 2017 to June 2021 were retrospectively analyzed.The short-term and mid-term follow-up data were collected.The maximum aortic valve pressure gradient, subaortic regurgitation area, left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were compared before and after operation.Paired t test was used to analyze the short-term and mid-term efficacy of aortic valvuloplasty with autopericardium on children with aortic valve diseases. Results:All 26 cases were successfully operated, and there were no deaths and serious complications during the follow-up period of (22.96±6.45) months.There was a significant difference between the preoperative and postoperative maximum aortic valve pressure gradient at 1 month ( t=7.85, P<0.05), 6 months ( t=6.43, P<0.05), 1 year ( t=6.16, P<0.05) and 2 years postoperatively ( t=4.22, P<0.05) in children with aortic stenosis or that combined with mild-to-moderate closure.The follow-up data of 9 children with simple aortic stenosis showed that there was a significant difference between the preoperative (8.87±3.57) cm 2 and postoperative aortic regurgitation area at 1 month ( t=6.85, P<0.05), 6 months ( t=5.13, P<0.05), 1 year ( t=6.62, P<0.05) and 2 years postoperatively ( t=5.41, P<0.05). The LVEDV of 26 children was significantly lower at 6 months[(63.54±27.61) mL], 1 year [(53.61±20.20) mL] and 2 years postoperatively [(64.39±17.78) mL] compared with that of preoperative level[(89.42±45.89) mL]( t=3.89, 4.67, 3.58, all P<0.05). The left ventricular pressure and volume decreased, the enlarged heart was narrowed down, and the geometry of the heart was restored.The LVEF of 26 patients also from (61.65±9.67)% before surgery increased to (67.88±4.69)% 6 months after surgery( t=3.68, P<0.05), and increased to (68.62±4.46)% 1 year after surgery( t=4.01, P<0.05), and increased to (67.55±3.09)% 2 years after operation( t=3.01, P<0.05), and the heart function was improved. Conclusions:Aortic valvuloplasty with autopericardium presents an effective short and mid-term efficacy on children with aortic valve diseases, which prevents or delays the aortic valve replacement.

Percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation (PPVI) is applied relatively late in clinical practice in China as an emerging technology, but it has developed rapidly with the increasing clinical attention paid to severe pulmonary valve regurgitation in medical level in China and the clinical appearance of congenital heart disease patients with right ventricular outflow obstruction after surgery.In the past ten years, European and American countries have applied PPVI in clinical practice, which has the advantages of minimally invasive, reproducibility and good postoperative efficacy compared with traditional surgery.The clinical application of PPVI in patients with pulmonary regurgitation is summarized.

3D printing technology has achieved good results in the diagnosis and guidance of congenital heart disease(CHD). Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are used as data sources to establish a three-dimensional model of the heart, which has been used clinically.The use of non-invasive techniques such as three-dimensional ultrasound to obtain data sources for 3D printing models can bring about changes in the diagnosis and treatment of CHD.This paper reviews the research progress of 3D printing technology in CHD with CT, MRI and 3D ultrasound.