Novel Technique: Noninvasive Ventilation Support Flexible Endoscopy for Preoperative Manage Neonates of Esophageal Atresia with Tracheoesophageal Fistula and Respiratory Distress

Introduction Pre-operative management of neonates with esophageal atresia and tracheoesophageal fistula (EA/TEF) requiring positive pressure ventilation (PPV) support is clinically challenging. This study evaluates the safety, feasibility and value of flexible endoscopy with noninvasive ventilation and sustained pharyngeal inflation (FE-NIV-SPI) in diagnosis and placing a naso-tracheo-fistula-gastric (NTFG) tube before surgery. Methods A retrospective study conducted from 2017 to 2020 in neonates with Type-C EA/TEF and respiratory distress, where FE-NIV-SPI performed with NTFG tube placement before surgery. Results Five neonates were collected, one with duodenal atresia and one with transposition of great artery. At FE-NIV-SPI, median body weight was 2,399 g and mean age was 15.2 hours. Four neonates yielded severe (>80% collapsed) tracheomalacia. With this FE-NIV, all tracheal, fistulas and esophageal lumens could clearly assess and manage. All fistulas were less than 8mm proximal to carina with mean orifice width of 5 mm. All NTFG tubes placed successfully after confirmed the EA/TEF. Three neonates had co-intubated with nasal endotracheal tube and 2 neonates had received nasal prongs PPV. Mean procedural time of FE-NIV was 13.6±4.5 minutes. All neonates received gastric decompression and feeding via NTFG tubes for mean of 11.4±18.2 days and had stable pre-surgical courses. No adverse associated complication noted. Conclusion FE-NIV-SPI technique enables safe and accurate measurement of EA/TEF anatomy and placing NTFG tube. It could avert emergent gastrostomy, aid gastric decompression, feeding, and ETT intubation, improve PPV, provide pre-surgical stabilization and identify the fistula location during the surgical correction.

General Anesthesia for Cesarean Section in a Pregnant Woman with Truncus Arteriosus Intraoperatively Monitored by Transesophageal Echocardiography

Truncus arteriosus (TA) is defined as a congenital cardiovascular malformation in which one great artery arises from the base of the heart and gives origin to the pulmonary and systemic arteries. TA patients who become pregnant have high morbidity and mortality rates because physiologic changes during pregnancy can worsen the cardiopulmonary balance causing cardiopulmonary decompensation. In this case report we report a successful general anesthesia in a truncus arteriosus patient with severe pulmonary hypertension (Eisenmenger syndrome) who underwent a full-term pregnancy delivery monitored by intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography, a new technique to assist physicians in dealing with patients with hemodynamic instability during both cardiac and noncardiac surgery.

Ectopia Cordis: A Rare Congenital Heart Disease

Three days old female presented with beating heart outside the thoracic cavity. This is a rare congenital abnormality associated multiple abnormalities. Patient came with features of infection. To diagnose routine blood investigation along with echocardiography and CT angiogram of heart,great vessel and abdomen were done. She was diagnosed as functionally single ventricle with hypoplastic branch pulmonary artery with malposed great artery with anomalous pulmonary venous drainage. Thisis lethal variety of ectopic cordis. Our patient had no adequate space in mediastinum to replace heart and she was in septicemia, so managed medically. Patient expired at her 6thday due to sepsis and intracardiac complex congenital heart disease. Cardiovasc. j. 2019; 11(2): 183-186

Implementation of Fetal Cardiac Guidelines for the Routine Second-Trimester Heart Examination: A Feasibility Study

Purpose This study aimed to explore the feasibility of implementation of the ISUOG 2013 guidelines on routine second-trimester examination of the fetal heart. Materials and Methods This was a prospective study in 357 women with singleton pregnancy undergoing their routine second-trimester scan. The fetal heart was examined using B-mode in different planes according to the guidelines. Potential maternal and fetal factors that can affect the rates of diagnostic-quality imaging for each of the recommended views were tested, using regression analysis. The intra- and interobserver agreement was analyzed in stored video loops. Results Most cardiac structures could be successfully examined with rates at or close to 100 %. Structures with a successful examination rate of ≤ 85 % included the ventricular wall fine details (55.2 %), tricuspid valve insertion (82.6 %), aortic root with clear walls (77.9 %), pulmonary artery walls (65.8 %) and clear view of the great artery walls (66.7 %). Common factors affecting the likelihood of successful examination of these structures included maternal BMI, skin-to-crux distance and the orientation of the cardiac axis. A post-hoc analysis indicated that a lack of pre-defined criteria for diagnostic quality was a constant reason for the interobserver variation. Conclusion Most of the cardiac views can be consistently and reliably obtained, with maternal habitus being the primary factor limiting the quality of visualization. As offline interpretation may be subjective, using pre-defined quality criteria for the assessment of the images might improve interrater agreement.