Successful stenting of the ductus venosus in 2 neonates with asplenia syndrome complicated by infracardiac type total anomalous pulmonary venous connection

Percutaneous Transhepatic Portosystemic Shunt Creation in a Preterm Infant With Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Connection

A male preterm infant with total anomalous pulmonary venous connection developed progressive respiratory distress but was considered too high risk for surgical repair because of his critical condition. We demonstrated that percutaneous transhepatic stent implantation for portosystemic shunt creation is a feasible bridging procedure when surgery is not possible.

Palliative stenting of the venous duct in a premature neonate with obstructed infradiaphragmatic total anomalous pulmonary venous connection

In infracardiac, infradiaphragmatic total anomalous pulmonary venous connection, all four pulmonary veins connect to a descending vertical vein that usually drains to the portal vein or one of its tributaries. Obstruction is common, and definitive treatment is surgical repair. We present a case of late-diagnosed infradiaphragmatic total anomalous pulmonary venous connection in a premature neonate who was too high risk for surgery and underwent palliative stenting of the venous duct. We demonstrate the feasibility of a transhepatic approach when umbilical access is no longer available.

Strategy of delayed repair of total anomalous pulmonary venous connection in right atrial isomerism and functional single ventricle

Objective

Repair of total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC) in neonates with right atrial isomerism and functional single ventricle is challenging. In our novel strategy, primary draining vein stenting (DVS) was applied to patients with preoperative pulmonary vein obstruction to delay TAPVC repair. This study investigated our initial experience with a strategy of delayed TAPVC repair, incorporating DVS.

Methods

Twenty-nine patients with right atrial isomerism and functional single ventricle who had a severe obstruction in the course of draining veins, who required surgical or catheter intervention in their neonatal period were retrospectively reviewed (primary DVS: n = 11; primary TAPVC repair: n = 18).

Results

Patients in the primary DVS group had more mixed type TAPVC (primary DVS: n = 5, 45.5%; primary TAPVC repair: n = 2, 11.1%; P = .03) and required more systemic to pulmonary shunt surgeries during their lifetime (primary DVS: n = 9, 81.8%; primary TAPVC repair: n = 6, 33.3%; P = .047). Kaplan–Meier analysis showed that primary DVS repair was associated with improved survival compared with primary TAPVC repair (survival rates at 90 days, 1 year, 3 years and 5 years: primary DVS: 100%, 80%, 68.6%, and 54.9%; primary TAPVC repair: 55.6%, 38.9%, 38.9%, and 38.9%, respectively [P = .04]). Of the 4 patients who underwent stenting of the ductus venosus, 3 had elevated liver enzymes after surgical repair of TAPVC due to ductus venosus steal, which markedly improved after coil embolization of the stent.

Conclusions

For neonates with obstructive TAPVC and functional single ventricle, our delayed TAPVC repair using primary DVS appeared to improve survival compared with the conventional strategy.

Stepwise Treatment for Heterotaxy Syndrome and Functional Single Ventricle Complicated by Infra-Cardiac Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Connection with Ductus Venosus Stent Placement and Subsequent Occlusion

Even today, when the surgical outcome of congenital heart disease in the neonatal period has improved, the prognosis for heterotaxy syndrome and functional single ventricle complicated with total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC), especially the infra-cardiac type, is catastrophic. We describe a strategy that combines percutaneous ductus venosus (DV) stent placement and occlusion after TAPVC repair to ensure survival from initial surgery to bidirectional cavopulmonary shunt (BCPS) procedure and facilitate subsequent treatment. Three consecutive patients with heterotaxy syndrome and functional single ventricle complicated by infra-cardiac TAPVC treated with our own strategy were retrospectively studied. In two infants, DV stent placement was performed on the day of birth. In one case at 11 days of age. The risk of pulmonary vein obstruction was reduced, and on-pump surgery, including TAPVC repair, was performed on a standby basis. Since the rapid increase in hepatic enzymes occurred on postoperative day 0 to 1 in all cases, percutaneous stent occlusion was performed until postoperative day 3. The procedure improved liver function. One patient died due to severe atrioventricular valve regurgitation, one case underwent BCPS, and one patient was waiting to undergo. DV stent placement can avoid TAPVC repair in the early neonatal period. After TAPVC repair, the portosystemic shunt remained, resulting in hepatic dysfunction, but this could be improved by stent and vertical vein occlusion. A series of stepwise treatments can be useful to help such critically ill infants survive the high-risk neonatal period and achieve good BCPS circulation.

Venous duct stenting in a 940-gram infant with infradiaphragmatic total anomalous pulmonary venous return

An extremely low birthweight infant (940 grams) with a rare variant of obstructed infracardiac total anomalous pulmonary venous return underwent stenting of the venous duct as bridge to later surgical intervention. While technically challenging, this procedure represents a bridge to surgery for infants who might otherwise not be surgical candidates.