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Biomedical subjects

W G Williams

Publications and source records attributed to W G Williams.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

Transposition complexes.

Transposition complex refers to the reversal of the normal connection of the ventricles to the great arteries, and includes both complete transposition of the great arteries (TGA) and congenitally corrected TGA. Adults with complete TGA usually have had an atrial switch (Mustard or Senning), procedures now abandoned in many pediatric centers in favor of the arterial switch (Jatene). The course and treatment of patients with congenitally corrected TGA is much more variable, depending on which associated lesions are present. Such patients share the tendency to complete heart block, systemic tricuspid AV valve regurgitation, and systemic RV dysfunction. Information about these conditions in adults is urgently needed to reduce our reliance on extrapolation from the pediatric experience.

Humans↗

Surgically created Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome after Fontan operation.

The Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome is caused by a congenital accessory connection between the atrium and ventricle. We describe a case of symptomatic Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome that arose after a Björk modification of the Fontan operation. Invasive electrophysiologic and intraoperative mapping indicated that the surgically created atrioventricular connection was functioning as an accessory pathway. Surgical dissection and cryoablation abolished the symptoms and the preexcitation.

Adolescent↗

The regulation of glutathione peroxidase gene expression by oxygen tension in cultured human cardiomyocytes.

In earlier studies we have shown that the activity of the antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase is regulated by oxygen tension in cultured tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) ventricular myocytes and in the ventricles of TOF patients having corrective cardiac surgery. The present study was undertaken to determine the mechanism of this regulation. Northern and slot blot analysis was performed using RNA isolated from TOF myocytes cultured at oxygen tensions of 150 and 40 mmHg for 3, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days. As was found for enzyme activities, glutathione peroxidase mRNA levels were lower in the cells cultured at a pO2 of 40 mmHg than at 150 mmHg and could be elevated with an increase in oxygen tension. These results were standardized against house-keeping gene hexosaminidase B which showed no difference in mRNA levels between the two oxygen tensions throughout the time course. Nuclear run-off assays indicated that glutathione peroxidase was regulated by oxygen tension at the transcriptional level, while hexosaminidase B and total mRNA synthesis levels remained unchanged.

Adult↗

Serial follow-up of adults with repaired tetralogy of Fallot.

OBJECTIVES AND BACKGROUND: Sudden death has long been considered a major contributor to mortality in pediatric patients with corrected tetralogy of Fallot. However, this may not apply to the patient with repaired tetralogy of Fallot who has survived into adulthood. Consequently we followed up a cohort of such adults to establish the clinical outcome and risk factors affecting their survival. METHODS: A baseline group of 151 adult patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot were followed up for a mean of 3.2 years. The overall mortality rate was low (0.009 death/patient-year). Four patients died during follow-up, but only two deaths can be attributed to tetralogy of Fallot repair, and there were no sudden cardiac deaths. Clinically 94% of patients have remained in New York Heart Association functional class I. A subset of 36 patients were followed up for a mean of 6.7 years. This group had three sets of serial testing at 3-year intervals consisting of right heart catheterization at the initial study only, 24-h Holter ambulatory electrocardiographic (ECG) monitoring, exercise ECG and rest and exercise radionuclide angiography. RESULTS: Exercise capacity assessed by serial exercise stress testing remained stable over the follow-up period, whereas the presence of exercise-induced arrhythmias steadily decreased. Most patients had no significant arrhythmias and had no significant change in severity of arrhythmia with time. Radionuclide angiography showed significant improvement in exercise right ventricular ejection fraction over time but a progressive decrease in left ventricular ejection fraction at both rest and exercise. However, the left ventricular ejection fraction is still within the normal limits for our laboratory. CONCLUSIONS: Adults with repaired tetralogy of Fallot have a very good prognosis and a low risk of sudden death. However, ventricular function may change over time and should be carefully monitored.

Adult↗

Intravascular stent prosthesis for right ventricular outflow obstruction.

OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to assess the impact of implantation of balloon-expandable stents on right ventricular outflow obstruction in children with congenital heart disease. BACKGROUND: Intravascular stenting has been established as a useful treatment in adults with coronary and peripheral vascular disease. Its application in the treatment of infants and children with pulmonary, systemic and right ventricular conduit obstruction resistant to balloon angioplasty is limited. METHODS: A total of 24 stainless steel stents were implanted in 17 patients. Five stents were placed within right ventricular to pulmonary artery conduits, 17 in branch pulmonary arteries and 1 in an aortopulmonary collateral vessel. Follow-up time has ranged from 1 to 14 months, with 6 patients having hemodynamic and angiographic studies greater than 1 year after stent placement. The mean age at implantation was 7.4 +/- 5.6 years and the mean weight 33 +/- 16 kg. RESULTS: Optimal stent position was obtained in 22 of 24 implantations. In one patient the stent slipped from the delivery balloon and was left positioned in the inferior vena cava. No embolization or thrombotic event has been documented. Among patients with right ventricular to pulmonary artery conduit obstruction, the gradient was immediately reduced from 85 +/- 30 mm Hg to 35 +/- 20 mm Hg after stent implantation; however, three patients required conduit replacement because of persistent obstruction with elevated right ventricular pressures (82 +/- 16 mm Hg). In 10 of 11 patients with pulmonary artery stenosis, clinical improvement was noted in association with enlargement of vessel diameter by 92% +/- 90% (range 17% to 355%) and the gradient reduction of 22 +/- 24 mm Hg to 3 +/- 4 mm Hg. CONCLUSIONS: These data support the view that intravascular stenting will become an important adjunct in the management of children with congenital heart disease.

Child↗

Transesophageal Doppler echocardiography in obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: clarification of pathophysiology and importance in intraoperative decision making.

To better understand the pathophysiology of obstruction of left ventricular outflow in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and to determine the value of intraoperative transesophageal Doppler echocardiography in decision making, 32 consecutive patients undergoing ventriculomyectomy were assessed. The mean preoperative left ventricular outflow gradient was 83 +/- 39 mm Hg and the mean basal septal width was 24 +/- 6 mm. Compared with transesophageal findings in 10 normal control subjects, the mitral leaflets were longer and the coaptation point was abnormal in the patients with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (anterior and posterior leaflet lengths in the patients were 31 +/- 4 vs. 22 +/- 3 mm in the control group [p less than 0.00001] and 20 +/- 2 vs. 15 +/- 3 mm in the control group [p less than 0.00001]). The coaptation point in the patient group was in the body of the leaflets at a mean of 9 +/- 2 mm from the anterior leaflet tip, whereas it was at or within 3 mm of the leaflet tip in the normal group. During early systole, the distal third to half of the anterior mitral leaflet angled sharply anteriorly and superiorly (systolic anterior motion), resulting in leaflet-septal contact and incomplete mitral leaflet coaptation in mid-systole. This caused the formation of a funnel, composed of the distal parts of both leaflets, that allowed a jet of posteriorly directed mitral regurgitation to occur in mid- and late systole. The sequence of events in systole was eject/obstruct/leak. Transesophageal echocardiography was also helpful in planning the extent of the resection, assessing the immediate result and excluding important complications. In successful cases, the post-myectomy study showed 1) a dramatic thinning of the septum, with widening of the left ventricular outflow tract to a width similar to that in the normal subjects, 2) resolution of systolic anterior motion and the left ventricular outflow tract color mosaic, and marked reduction or abolition of mitral regurgitation despite persistence of abnormal mitral leaflet length and an abnormal mitral leaflet coaptation point. The routine use of transesophageal echocardiography in patients undergoing surgical myectomy for the treatment of obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is recommended.

Adult↗

Ventricular performance before and after Fontan repair for univentricular atrioventricular connection: angiographic and radionuclide assessment.

OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to evaluate changes in ventricular volume, mass and cardiac function before and after creation of an atrial to pulmonary connection in patients with a univentricular atrioventricular connection. BACKGROUND: Intact systolic and diastolic performance is critical for successful establishment of an atrial dependent circulation, and few studies are available comparing cardiac performance before and after creation. METHODS: With the use of radionuclide blood pool imaging and ventricular cineangiography, 54 patients (mean age 6.4 +/- 3.4 years) were studied. Twenty-eight patients were investigated preoperatively and 36 greater than 1 year after repair and compared with a control population. RESULTS: Before operation, end-diastolic volume and wall mass were significantly increased compared with those of control subjects; however, the mass/volume ratio was normal (1.08 +/- 0.31 g/ml for the preoperative group; 0.97 +/- 0.19 for control subjects). Although end-diastolic volume returned to normal after the procedure, wall mass remained elevated and contributed to an elevated mass/volume ratio (1.20 +/- 0.38 g/ml). After the procedure, systemic vascular resistance index was significantly elevated compared with that before surgery or with that of control subjects (1,199 +/- 373, 2,120 +/- 645, 1,556 +/- 275 dynes.s.cm-5.m2: pre- and postrepair and control subjects, respectively). Radionuclide studies demonstrated that preoperative ejection fraction (52 +/- 9, 50 +/- 9, 60 +/- 8%), peak ejection (2.58 +/- 0.66, 2.95 +/- 0.81, 3.73 +/- 0.70 EDV/s) and peak filling rates (2.84 +/- 0.75, 2.75 +/- 0.79, 3.84 +/- 0.51 end-diastolic volumes [EDV/s]) were significantly reduced compared with those of control subjects and remained so after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that systolic and diastolic function is depressed preoperatively in these patients, remains unchanged after the creation of an atrial-dependent circulation and is associated with an increased systemic vascular resistance. Long-term issues addressing preservation of cardiac function need to be prospectively studied.

Child↗

The relation between ventricular hypertrophy and clinical outcome in patients with double inlet left ventricle after atrial to pulmonary anastomosis.

To clarify differences between pre- and postoperative volumetric and hemodynamic variables from patients with clinically good and poor outcomes after a Fontan procedure, 40 patients with univentricular heart (double inlet left ventricle) (mean age: 5.7 +/- 3.3 years) were studied using the ventricular cineangiography. According to postoperative clinical findings, patients were classified into two groups: 26 patients with good outcomes and 14 patients with poor outcomes (including five with early and two with intermediate deaths) and compared with a control population. Age at surgery, pre-operative cardiac index, wall mass and systolic ejection phase parameters were not different between the two patient groups, however, end-diastolic volume index in poor outcomes was significantly smaller than those with good outcomes (100 +/- 24, 78 +/- 22, 64 +/- 14 ml/m2: good, poor outcomes and controls, respectively, p less than 0.05), and the mass/volume ratio in this group significantly elevated (1.00 +/- 0.18, 1.19 +/- 0.33, 0.97 +/- 0.19 g/ml, p less than 0.05). Postoperatively, both ventricular volume and mass in good outcomes returned toward the normal and the mass/volume ratio remained within normal range (1.07 +/- 0.22). In contrast, the hypertrophied ventricular mass in those patients with poor outcomes did not decrease in parallel with ventricular volume, thus contributing to a further increased ratio (1.48 +/- 0.19). Although there were no significant differences between pre-operative hemodynamic variables among the two groups, the mass/volume ratio in those with poor outcomes was increased pre-operatively and further increased after the Fontan procedure due to rapid and acute reduction of preload.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗

The recognition, identification of morphologic substrate, and treatment of subaortic stenosis after a Fontan operation. An analysis of twelve patients.

Twelve children were identified with subaortic stenosis after Fontan's operation. All had absent resting and isoproterenol-provoked pressure gradient before the Fontan procedure. Six had a univentricular heart of left ventricular morphology, three had a single ventricle of right ventricular morphology, one had tricuspid atresia with transposition of the great arteries, one had pulmonary atresia, intact ventricular septum, and hypoplastic right ventricle, and one had corrected transposition with hypoplastic systemic ventricle. The median interval between the Fontan operation and the recognition of subaortic stenosis was 2.5 years. Ten patients underwent surgical treatment after a prior Fontan operation: Five had myectomy and enlargement of ventricular septal defect with two operative deaths; two had placement of a valved conduit from the ventricular apex to the descending aorta, and both died postoperatively; two with single ventricle had subaortic myectomy, and one had enlargement of ventricular septal defect and pulmonary aortic connection. Complete heart block developed in only one patient. Postoperative testing with Doppler echocardiography with color flow imaging demonstrated good relief of subaortic stenosis. All six children who survived the operation are well 4 months to 4 years later. Subaortic stenosis is a progressive lesion that may develop after a Fontan operation. Its surgical treatment continues to carry a significant mortality. Myectomy and enlargement of ventricular septal defect achieve direct relief of the obstruction with minimal risk of heart block.

Adolescent↗

Failure of cryopreserved homograft valved conduits in the pulmonary circulation.

BACKGROUND: This study evaluates our experience with the cryopreserved homograft valved conduit used for reconstruction of the pulmonary circulation in patients with congenital heart disease. METHODS AND RESULTS: Between July 1, 1985, and December 31, 1990, 219 patients had cryopreserved homograft extracardiac valved conduits placed in the pulmonary circuit. Average age at operation was 7.2 years. Of these, 132 patients had a pulmonary homograft, and 87 had an aortic homograft. Twenty-four patients (11%) died in hospital. Hospital survivors (n = 195) have been followed an average of 29.8 months (SD, +/- 18.4 months). Fourteen patients died during follow-up, almost all related to the complexity of their original cardiac malformation. Thirty-two patients (15%) have required reoperation for conduit-related problems. Actuarial freedom from conduit reoperation is 55 +/- 12% at 5 years. The most common indication for reoperation was calcific stenosis (n = 27). Other indications for reoperation were pseudoaneurysm (n = 2), conduit infection (n = 2), and pulmonary insufficiency (n = 1). Reoperation rate for patients with aortic homografts (16 of 87) compared with that for pulmonary homografts (16 of 132) was not significantly different by the actuarial method. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term function of cryopreserved homograft valved conduits in the pulmonary circulation is disappointing.

Actuarial Analysis↗

Surgical connections from ventricle to pulmonary artery. Comparison of four types of valved implants.

BACKGROUND: Four types of valved conduits used to correct venous ventricle to pulmonary artery (V-PA) discontinuity were compared. METHODS AND RESULTS: Four hundred fifty-seven patients with congenital heart defects requiring a V-PA connection during the past 25 years were reviewed. Age at implant varied from 1 day to 64 years (mean, 9.1 years). Four types of valved prostheses were used: 1) homograft conduit (HC, n = 178), 2) valved Dacron conduit (VDC, n = 126), 3) polystan conduit (PC, n = 47), and 4) orthotopic pulmonary valve implant (PVI, n = 106). There were 83 early deaths (18.2%) and 34 late deaths (8.5%). Follow-up ranged from 1 month to 22 years (mean, 3.5 years). One hundred eight conduit replacements were performed in 93 patients (21%). The overall patient survival was 73 +/- 2.3%, 67 +/- 3.2%, and 56 +/- 6.8% at 5, 10, and 15 years, respectively. Factors predictive of patient survival were diagnosis (p < 0.001) and valve size (p < 0.001). Age at operation (p < 0.001) and type of valve (p < 0.001) were the only risk factors for valve survival. At 5 years, survival of PVI (89 +/- 5%) and VDC (89 +/- 4%) was significantly better than survival of HC (46 +/- 13%) or PC (57 +/- 9%). CONCLUSIONS: Patients who survived the initial construction of a V-PA conduit had a reasonable long-term survival. A PVI was the most durable prosthesis. A Dacron porcine-valved conduit had significantly better durability than either a cryopreserved homograft or a PC.

Actuarial Analysis↗

Continuous arteriovenous hemofiltration after cardiac operations in infants and children.

Acute renal insufficiency after cardiopulmonary bypass can lead to a significant morbidity from fluid overload and electrolyte disturbance, impede pulmonary gas exchange, and postpone weaning from mechanical ventilation. The limitations placed on free water intake result in severe restriction of nutrition while diuretic therapy causes electrolyte imbalance. Artificial renal support either in the form of peritoneal dialysis or hemodialysis may be complicated by sepsis and hemodynamic instability. We reviewed our experience with the use of continuous arteriovenous hemofiltration, an extracorporeal technique for removal of solutes, toxins, and water in critically ill patients with cardiac failure complicated by acute renal insufficiency and hemodynamic instability after cardiopulmonary bypass. Ten infants and children with renal insufficiency caused by low cardiac output had continuous arteriovenous hemofiltration instituted for indications including sepsis, volume overload, oliguria for more than 24 hours nonresponsive to diuretic therapy, and the need for hyperalimentation. All were supported by mechanical ventilation and receiving high-dose inotropic support. Arterial and venous vascular access was successfully obtained by cannulation of the femoral artery and vein in nine patients. Anticoagulation of the circuit was achieved with heparin infusion (6 to 20 micrograms/kg/hr) and monitored by measurement of activated clotting time. The continuous arteriovenous hemofiltration circuit was replaced if there was clot formation, or at 3 days after placement. Dialysis solution (Dianeal) 1.5% or 0.5% was infused as prefilter dilution. With the use of continuous arteriovenous hemofiltration, 20 to 100 m/hr of ultrafiltrate was removed, which allowed correction of hypervolemia, and caloric intake increased from 13.5 kcal/kg/day to 79.5 kcal/kg/day. Continuous arteriovenous hemofiltration was maintained between 5 hours and 8 days and was well tolerated in all patients. Serum urea and creatinine levels declined during continuous arteriovenous hemofiltration. We conclude that continuous arteriovenous hemofiltration is a safe and effective method for fluid and electrolyte homeostasis and that it thus allows hyperalimentation in infants and children after cardiac operations.

Acute Kidney Injury↗

Fatal esophageal-arterial fistula 17 years following tetralogy of Fallot repair.

Blalock-Taussig shunts (subclavian to pulmonary anastomoses) have remained the most effective palliation in cyanotic heart disease. Late complications are rare but can be devastating. The case of a 26-year-old female with tetralogy and an original Blalock shunt constructed at age four years is reported. Despite subsequent primary repair of the tetralogy and presumed ligation of the Blalock shunt, the patient succumbed to a fatal hemorrhage due to esophageal-arterial fistula involving the Blalock shunt. The circumstances leading to this dramatic outcome are outlined and discussed. It is important for cardiologists caring for congenital heart disease patients to be aware of the late complications of congenital heart surgery, and carry out the proper follow-up investigations.

Adult↗

Effect of oxygen tension and cardiovascular operations on the myocardial antioxidant enzyme activities in patients with tetralogy of Fallot and aorta-coronary bypass.

Since the chronically cyanotic myocardium appears to be more susceptible to reperfusion injury after cardiac operations than the noncyanotic myocardium, we studied the association between the preoperative arterial oxygen tension and the myocardial superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase activities. Fourteen patients with tetralogy of Fallot scheduled for elective operations had baseline arterial blood gas measurements done before operation. During the operation right ventricular biopsy specimens were taken for enzyme analysis immediately before cold blood cardioplegic arrest and 20 minutes after crossclamp removal. The tissue antioxidant enzyme activities of the patients with tetralogy of Fallot were compared with the myocardial results in 15 adults with stable angina pectoris having elective aorta-coronary artery bypass graft operations. Myocardial tissues removed from two patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy who had corrective operations were analyzed for antioxidant activities. There were no changes in myocardial antioxidant enzyme activities during the operation in the patients with tetralogy of Fallot and coronary artery bypass graft. The myocardial superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase activities correlated (0.82, 0.68, and 0.89, respectively) significantly (p values were less than 0.01, 0.05, and 0.01, respectively) with the preoperative arterial oxygen tensions in the patients with tetralogy of Fallot. The myocardial glutathione peroxidase activities were at least four times higher in the myocardium of patients with coronary artery bypass graft and hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy than in that of those with tetralogy of Fallot. This study provides putative evidence that the myocardium of patients with tetralogy of Fallot is a risk of oxygen-derived free radical injury during and immediately after corrective cardiovascular operations.

Catalase↗

Abnormalities in von Willebrand factor and antithrombin III after cardiopulmonary bypass operations for congenital heart disease.

In patients with congenital heart disease two poorly understood postoperative complications are pulmonary hypertensive crises after repair of large atrioventricular or ventricular septal defects and right atrial and pulmonary thrombi after the Fontan operation. In this study we assessed whether cardiopulmonary bypass in these patients is associated with the release of agents that might induce platelet aggregation and vasoconstriction, such as biologically active von Willebrand factor and platelet-activating factor. In addition, we measured levels of anticoagulants such as antithrombin III and proteins C and S. Three groups of patients with congenital heart disease undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass were monitored through the perioperative period for secundum atrial septal defects, large atrioventricular or ventricular septal defects, and tricuspid atresia or univentricular heart (Fontan candidates). Control values were obtained from age-matched patients; patients requiring major noncardiac operations and those with cardiac disease not requiring cardiopulmonary bypass were also studied. After cardiopulmonary bypass in all three groups biologic activity of von Willebrand factor increased markedly in the immediate and early postoperative periods compared with preoperative values, whereas antithrombin III values were decreased. Platelet-activating factor was detected in only two patients with congenital heart disease, both in the early postoperative period. In contrast, patients who did not have cardiopulmonary bypass did not show these abnormalities. All measured parameters normalized at late follow-up (6 to 18 months after operation). Although cardiopulmonary bypass in these patients resulted in increased von Willebrand factor activity and decreased antithrombin III, changes that may predispose the patient to platelet aggregation and thrombus formation, absolute values in individual patients alone were not predictive of pulmonary hypertensive crises or detectable thrombi. This suggests that these hematologic abnormalities may contribute to but are not by themselves a cause of morbidity in the early postoperative period. Moreover, the increased von Willebrand factor biologic activity seen postoperatively in patients with congenital heart disease suggests that use of synthetic vasopressin may be ineffective and potentially detrimental.

Antithrombin III↗