Bidirectional Glenn for residual outflow obstruction in Tetralogy of Fallot
Kamal Saleem, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mehboob Sultan, Intisar ul Haq, Umair Younus, William M Novick
Journal: Cardiology in the Young / Volume 29 / Issue 5 / May 2019
Residual right ventricular outflow obstruction during Tetralogy of Fallot repair necessitates peri-operative revision often requiring trans-annular patch with its negative sequels. Bidirectional Glenn shunt in this setting reduces trans-pulmonary gradient to avoid revision.
Bidirectional Glenn shunt was added during Tetralogy repair in patients with significant residual obstruction. A total of 53 patients between January, 2011 and June, 2018 were included. Final follow-up was conducted in July, 2018.
Mean age at operation was 5.63±3.1 years. Right to left ventricular pressure ratio reduced significantly (0.91±0.09 versus 0.68±0.05; p<0.001) after bidirectional Glenn, avoiding revision in all cases. Glenn pressures at ICU admission decreased significantly by the time of ICU discharge (16.7±3.02 versus 13.5±2.19; p<0.001). Pleural drainage ≥ 7 days was seen in 14 (26.4%) patients. No side effects related to bidirectional Glenn-like facial swelling or veno-venous collaterals were noted. Mortality was 3.7%. Discharge echocardiography showed a mean trans-pulmonary gradient of 32.11±5.62 mmHg that decreased significantly to 25.64±5 (p<0.001) at the time of follow-up. Pulmonary insufficiency was none to mild in 45 (88.2%) and moderate in 6 (11.8%). Mean follow-up was 36.12±25.15 months (range 0.5–90). There was no interim intervention or death. At follow-up, all the patients were in NYHA functional class 1 with no increase in severity of pulmonary insufficiency.
Supplementary bidirectional Glenn shunt significantly reduced residual right ventricular outflow obstruction during Tetralogy of Fallot repair avoiding revision with satisfactory early and mid-term results.
Results of international assistance for a paediatric heart surgery programme in a single Ukrainian centre
Igor V. Polivenok, Frank J. Molloy, Christian L. Gilbert, Mark Danton, Ali Dodge-Khatami, Sri O. Rao, John P. Breinholt, Marcelo Cardarelli, Jamie S. Penk, William M. Novick
Journal: Cardiology in the Young / Volume 29 / Issue 3 / March 2019
Surgery for CHD has been slow to develop in parts of the former Soviet Union. The impact of an 8-year surgical assistance programme between an emerging centre and a multi-disciplinary international team that comprised healthcare professionals from developed cardiac programmes is analysed and presented.
The international paediatric assistance programme included five main components – intermittent clinical visits to the site annually, medical education, biomedical engineering support, nurse empowerment, and team-based practice development. Data were analysed from visiting teams and local databases before and since commencement of assistance in 2007 (era A: 2000–2007; era B: 2008–2015). The following variables were compared between periods: annual case volume, operative mortality, case complexity based on Risk Adjustment for Congenital Heart Surgery (RACHS-1), and RACHS-adjusted standardised mortality ratio.
A total of 154 RACHS-classifiable operations were performed during era A, with a mean annual case volume by local surgeons of 19.3 at 95% confidence interval 14.3–24.2, with an operative mortality of 4.6% and a standardised mortality ratio of 2.1. In era B, surgical volume increased to a mean of 103.1 annual cases (95% confidence interval 69.1–137.2, p<0.0001). There was a non-significant (p=0.84) increase in operative mortality (5.7%), but a decrease in standardised mortality ratio (1.2) owing to an increase in case complexity. In era B, the proportion of local surgeon-led surgeries during visits from the international team increased from 0% (0/27) in 2008 to 98% (58/59) in the final year of analysis.
The model of assistance described in this report led to improved adjusted mortality, increased case volume, complexity, and independent operating skills.
Ethics in humanitarian efforts: giving due credit to the local team
Kathleen N. Fenton, Frank Molloy, William M. Novick
Journal: Cardiology in the Young / Volume 29 / Issue 2 / February 2019
It has become increasingly apparent that only the truly effective humanitarian work emphasises empowering local practitioners. One problem, though, is that we are often seen as the "experts" who have come to "save" the children. This perception may adversely affect the confidence in the country's own providers.
Non-profit organisations performing paediatric heart surgery in developing countries were identified from two sources: the CTSnet "volunteerism" web page and an Internet search using the term "Pediatric Heart Surgery Medical Mission." The website of each organisation was reviewed, seeking a "purpose" or "mission" statement or summary of the organisation's work. A separate Internet search of news articles was performed. The top five articles were analysed for each organisation, and the findings are then analysed using the Principlist and Utilitarian ethical systems.
A total of 10 separate non-profit organisations were identified. The websites of eight (80%) placed significant emphasis on the educational aspects of their work and/or on interaction with local professionals. However, of 43 news articles reviewed, reporters mentioned education of, or interaction with, local professionals in only 14 (33%), and four out of 10 organisations studied had no mention of the local providers in any article.
Although non-profit organisations emphasise the teaching and programme-building aspects of their efforts, media reports largely focus on simpler and more emotional stories such as patient successes or large donations. Acknowledgement of the clinical and financial contributions of the host countries is both a duty following from the principle of justice and an important factor in long-term programme building.
Ethics in humanitarian efforts: when should resources be allocated to paediatric heart surgery?
Kathleen N. Fenton, Marcelo Cardarelli, Frank Molloy, William M. Novick
Journal: Cardiology in the Young / Volume 29 / Issue 1 / January 2019
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 18 October 2018, pp. 36-39
In countries with ample resources, no debate exists as to whether heart surgery should be provided. However, where funding is limited, what responsibility exists to care for children with congenital heart defects? If children have a "right" to surgical treatment, to whom is the "duty" to provide it assigned? These questions are subjected to ethical analysis.
Examination is initially based on the four principles of medical ethics: autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice. Consideration of beneficence and justice is expanded using a consequentialist approach.
Social structures, including governments, exist to foster the common good. Society, whether by means of government funding or otherwise, has the responsibility, according to the means available, to assure health care for all based on the principles of beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice. In wealthy countries, adequate resources exist to fund appropriate treatment; hence it should be provided to all based on distributive justice. In resource-limited countries, however, decisions regarding provision of care for expensive or complex health problems must be made with consideration for broader effects on the general public. Preliminary data from cost-effectiveness analysis indicate that many surgical interventions, including cardiac surgery, may be resource-efficient. Given that information, utilitarian ethical analysis supports dedication of resources to congenital heart surgery in many low-income countries. In the poorest countries, where access to drinking water and basic nutrition is problematic, it will often be more appropriate to focus on these issues first.
Ethical analysis supports dedication of resources to congenital heart surgery in all but the poorest countries.
Medical missions for the provision of paediatric cardiac surgery in low- and middle-income countries
Frank J. Molloy, Nguyenvu Nguyen, Marisa Mize, Gavin Wright, Cecilia St. George-Hyslop, Maura O'Callaghan, Emma Scanlan, William M. Novick
Journal: Cardiology in the Young / Volume 27 / Issue S6 / December 2017
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 04 December 2017, pp. S47-S54
This review will outline the role of visiting cardiac surgical teams in low- and middle-income countries drawing on the collective experience of the authors in a wide range of locations. Requests for assistance can emerge from local programmes at a beginner or advanced stage. However, in all circumstances, careful pre-trip planning is necessary in conjunction with clinical and non-clinical local partners. The clinical evaluation, surgical procedures, and postoperative care all serve as a template for collaboration and education between the visiting and local teams in every aspect of care. Education focusses on both common and patient-specific issues. Case selection must appropriately balance the clinical priorities, safety, and educational objectives within the time constraints of trip duration. Considerable communication and practical challenges will present, and clinicians may need to make significant adjustments to their usual practice in order to function effectively in a resource-limited, unfamiliar, and multilingual environment. The effectiveness of visiting trips should be measured and constantly evaluated. Local and visiting teams should use data-driven evaluations of measurable outcomes and critical qualitative evaluation to repeatedly re-assess their interim goals. Progress invariably takes several years to achieve the final goal: an autonomous self-governing, self-financed, cardiac programme capable of providing care for children with complex CHD. This outcome is consistent with redundancy for the visiting trips model at the site, although fraternal, professional, and academic links will invariably remain for many years.
Management of complex CHD at the National Cardiothoracic Center of Excellence, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu: the role of foreign cardiac missions in 3.5 years
Ikechukwu A. Nwafor, Josephat M. Chinawa, Daberechi K. Adiele, Ijeoma O. Arodiwe, Ndubueze Ezemba, John C. Eze, Ikenna Omeje, Onyiye A. Arua, William Novick
Journal: Cardiology in the Young / Volume 27 / Issue 6 / August 2017
CHD is defined as structural defect(s) in the heart and proximal blood vessels present at birth. The National Cardiothoracic Center of Excellence, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu, through the aid of visiting Cardiac Missions has managed a significant number of patients within the last 3.5 years.
Aim/Objective
The objective of this study was to review surgical options and outcome of complex CHD among patients attending UNTH, Enugu, Enugu.
Materials and Method
During the period of 3.5 years (March, 2013 to June, 2016), a total of 20 cases of complex CHD were managed by cardiac missions that visited UNTH, Enugu. Their case notes and operating register were retrieved, reviewed, and analysed using SPSS version 19 (Chicago).
There were eight females and 12 males, with a ratio of 2:5. The age range was from 5 months to 34 years with a mean of 1.7. Among all, five patients died giving a mortality rate of 25%. The operative procedures ranged from palliative shunts to complete repair. The outcome was relatively good.
Complex CHD are present in our environment. Their surgical management in our centre is being made possible by periodic visits of foreign cardiac missions.
Paediatric cardiac assistance in developing and transitional countries: the impact of a fourteen year effort*
William M. Novick, Gregory L. Stidham, Tom R. Karl, Robert Arnold, Darko Anić, Sri O. Rao, Victor C. Baum, Kathleen E. Fenton, Thomas G. Di Sessa
Journal: Cardiology in the Young / Volume 18 / Issue 3 / June 2008
Paediatric cardiac services are poorly developed or totally absent in underdeveloped countries. Institutions, foundations and interested individuals in those nations in which sophisticated paediatric cardiac surgery is practised have the ability to alleviate this problem by sponsoring paediatric cardio-surgical missions to provide care, and train local caregivers in developing, transitional, and third world countries. The ultimate benefit of such a programme is to improve the surgical abilities of the host institution. The purpose of this report is to present the impact of our programme over a period of 14 years.
We specifically reviewed our database of patients from our missions, our team lists, surgical results, and the number and type of personnel trained in the institutions that we have assisted. In order for the institution to be entered into the study, the foundation had to provide at least 2 months of training. In addition, the institution had to respond to a simple questionnaire concerning the number and types of surgery performed at their facility before and after intervention by the foundation.
We made 140 trips to 27 institutions in 19 countries, with 12 of the visited institutions qualifying for inclusion. Of these, 9 institutions reported an increase in the number and complexity of cases currently being performed in their facility since the team intervened. This goal had not been accomplished in 3 institutions. The reasons for failure included the economic situation of the country, hospital and national politics, personality conflicts, and continued lack of hardware and disposables.
Paediatric cardiac service assistance can improve local services. A significant commitment is required by all parties involved.
Are we improving after 10 years of humanitarian paediatric cardiac assistance?
William M. Novick, Gregory L. Stidham, Thomas R. Karl, Karen L. Guillory, Visnja Ivanćan, Ivan Malčić, Nestor Sandoval, Robert W. Reid, Vasily V. Lazorishisnets, Matthew C. Davis, Victor C. Baum, Thomas G. Di Sessa
Background: Paediatric cardiovascular services are frequently absent or poorly developed in many countries around the world. Our foundation made 83 trips in support of cardiovascular services between April 1993 and March 2003 to help alleviate this problem. In this study, we present an analysis of our results over these period of 10 years. Methods: We performed a review of all available records relating to the trips, including patient databases, audited financial statements, donated product inventory lists, lists of team members, and follow-up data from the host sites concerning the state of the patients treated. Results: We made 83 trips to 14 countries, 40 of these being in Central Europe, 5 in Eastern Europe, 10 in Caribbean, and Central America, 18 in South America, 9 in Asia, and 1 in the Middle East. In the first 5 years, we made 23, as opposed to 60 in the second 5 years, this difference being significant (p less than 0.01). The total number of primary operations performed over 10 years was 1,580. The number of procedures performed yearly increased over the two intervals from 97.0 plus or minus 32.7 to 219.0 plus or minus 41.7, p less than 0.002. The probability of survival between the periods increased from 84.6 to 93.3 per cent, and this was also significantly different (p less than 0.001). Overall, the rate of survival for the period of 10 years was 90.5 per cent. Moreover, the value of services donated to support each trip also differed significantly, decreasing from 105,900 dollars plus or minus 14,581 dollars for the first period to 54,617 dollars plus or minus 11,425 dollars for the second period (p less than 0.001). Conclusions: Improving paediatric cardiac services in under-served countries requires significant financial and personnel commitments, but can produce reasonable outcomes.