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Introduction: Due to the expanding role of ultrasound as a diagnostic tool in modern medicine, medical schools rapidly include ultrasound training in their curriculum. The objective of this study was to compare simulator-based training along with classical teaching, using human models, to impart focused transthoracic echocardiography examination. Subject and Methods: A total of 22 medical students, with no former transthoracic echocardiography training, undertook a 90-min e-learning module, dealing with focused echocardiography and important echocardiographic pathologies. Subsequently, they had to complete a multiple-choice-questioner, followed by a 120-min practical training session either on the Heartworks™, (Cardiff, UK) and the CAE Vimedix®, (Québec, Canada) simulator (n = 10) or on a live human model (n = 12). Finally, both groups had to complete a post-test consisting of ten video-based multiple-choice-questions and a time-based, focused echocardiography examination on another human model. Two blinded expert observers scored each acquired loop which recorded 2 s of each standard view. Statistical analysis was performed with SPPS 24 (SPSS™ 24, IBM, USA) using the Mann-Whitney-Test to compare both groups. Results: Analysis of measurable outcome skills showed no significant difference between transthoracic echocardiography training on human models and high-fidelity simulators for undergraduate medical students. Conclusions: Both teaching methods are effective and lead to the intended level of knowledge and skills.

Objective: The objective of this study was to highlight anesthetic and perioperative management and the outcomes of infants with complete atrioventricular (AV) canal defects. Design: This retrospective descriptive study included children who underwent staged and primary biventricular repair for complete AV canal defects from 1999 to 2013. Setting: A single-center study at a university affiliated heart center. Participants: One hundred and fifty-seven patients with a mean age at surgery of 125 ± 56.9 days were included in the study. About 63.6% of them were diagnosed as Down syndrome. Mean body weight at surgery was 5.6 ± 6.3 kg. Methods: Primary and staged biventricular repair of complete AV canal defects. Measurements and main results: A predefined protocol including timing of surgery, management of induction and maintenance of anesthesia, cardiopulmonary bypass, and perioperative intensive care treatment was used throughout the study. Demographic data as well as intraoperative and perioperative Intensive Care Unit (ICU) data, such as length of stay in ICU, total duration of ventilation including reintubations, and total length of stay in hospital and in hospital mortality, were collected from the clinical information system. Pulmonary hypertension was noted in 60% of patients from which 30% needed nitric oxide therapy. Nearly 2.5% of patients needed permanent pacemaker implantation. Thorax was closed secondarily in 7% of patients. In 3.8% of patients, reoperations due to residual defects were undertaken. Duration of hospital stay was 14.5 ± 4.7 days. The in-hospital mortality was 0%. Conclusion: Protocolized perioperative management leads to excellent outcome in AV canal defect repair surgery.

Newest 3D software allows measurements directly in the en-face-3D TEE mode. Aim of the study was to ascertain whether measurements performed in the en-face-3D TEE mode are comparable with conventional measurement methods based on 2D TEE and 3D using the multiple plane reconstruction mode with the Qlab ® software. En-face-3D TEE is used more frequently in daily clinical routine during cardiac operations. So far measurements could only be done based on 2D images or with the use of multi planar reconstruction mode with additional software. Measurement directly in the 3D image (en-face-3D TEE) would make measurements faster and easier to use in clinical practice. After approval by the local ethic committee and written informed consent from the patients additionally to a comprehensive perioperative 2D TEE examination a real time (RT) 3D zoom- dataset was recorded. Routine measurements of the length of anterior and posterior mitral valve leaflets as well as mitral valve and aortic valve areas were performed in en-face-3D TEE, multiplanar reconstruction mode using Qlab ® -software (Philips, Netherlands) and 2D TEE standard views. Twenty nine patients with a mean age of 67 years undergoing elective cardiac surgery/interventions were enrolled in this study. Direct measurements in en-face-3D TEE mode lead to non significant underestimation of all parameters as compared to Qlab ® and 2D TEE measurements. Measurements in en-face-3D TEE are feasible but lead to non significant underestimation compared to measurements performed with Qlab ® or in 2D TEE views.

Iatrogenic injury to the circumflex artery (Cx) due to its close proximity to the mitral annulus is a rare but dreadful complication that can occur during mitral valve repair. The aim of our study was to compare multiple measurements of the Cx datasets, obtained by real time three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (RT3D TEE) and corresponding measurements assessed in multi-planar three-dimensional images acquired by multidetector computed tomography (MDCT). Preoperative RT3D TEE and MDCT datasets of 25 patients who had previously undergone minimally invasive mitral valve surgery were retrospectively analyzed. The vessel diameter and the horizontal as well as vertical distances from the center of the Cx to the mitral valve annulus were measured. Horizontal as well as vertical Cx distances showed a strong correlation between measurements of RT3D TEE and MDCT whereas the measurements of the Cx diameter showed no correlation. Measurements of horizontal and vertical distances of the Cx to the mitral annulus can be performed using RT3D TEE and show good correlation with MDCT-based measurements.

The objective of this study was to highlight anesthetic and perioperative management and the outcomes of infants with complete atrioventricular (AV) canal defects. This retrospective descriptive study included children who underwent staged and primary biventricular repair for complete AV canal defects from 1999 to 2013. A single-center study at a university affiliated heart center. One hundred and fifty-seven patients with a mean age at surgery of 125 ± 56.9 days were included in the study. About 63.6 of them were diagnosed as Down syndrome. Mean body weight at surgery was 5.6 ± 6.3 kg. Primary and staged biventricular repair of complete AV canal defects. Measurements and main results: A predefined protocol including timing of surgery, management of induction and maintenance of anesthesia, cardiopulmonary bypass, and perioperative intensive care treatment was used throughout the study. Demographic data as well as intraoperative and perioperative Intensive Care Unit (ICU) data, such as length of stay in ICU, total duration of ventilation including reintubations, and total length of stay in hospital and in hospital mortality, were collected from the clinical information system. Pulmonary hypertension was noted in 60 of patients from which 30 needed nitric oxide therapy. Nearly 2.5 of patients needed permanent pacemaker implantation. Thorax was closed secondarily in 7 of patients. In 3.8 of patients, reoperations due to residual defects were undertaken. Duration of hospital stay was 14.5 ± 4.7 days. The in-hospital mortality was 0. Protocolized perioperative management leads to excellent outcome in AV canal defect repair surgery.