Fatigue testing of three peristernal median sternotomy closure techniques

Failure of a sternotomy closure because of closure system fatigue is a complication that may result in dehiscence and put the individual at risk for serious complications. The purpose of this study was to assess the fatigue performance of three peristernal median sternotomy closure techniques (figure-of-eight stainless-steel wires, figure-of-eight stainless-steel cables, or Pectofix Dynamic Sternal Fixation [DSF] stainless-steel plates) in order to quantify the potential risk of fatigue failure of these devices when subject to cyclic loads in physiologically relevant loading directions

Successful one stage biventricular correction of aortic atresia with a ventricular septal defect and discordant ventriculo-arterial connections

Aortic atresia is rare in the setting of a normally developed left ventricle with a ventricular septal defect. In this combination, as far as we know, it has been described only with concordant ventriculo-arterial connections, for which seven one-stage biventricular repairs have now been described. We describe here the case of a 3 1/2-month-old male infant with a similar combination but with discordant ventriculo-arterial connections and severe pulmonary hypertension. It was the right ventricle which achieved normal size in this arrangement, presumably because of the ventricular septal defect. One-stage biventricular correction was accomplished, employing a single pulmonary allograft, aided by massive doses of Prostaglandin E1. As far as we know this is the first report of the combination of aortic atresia, discordant ventriculo-arterial connections, a ventricular septal defect and balanced ventricles. We complement our surgical account, nonetheless, with a description of a comparable specimen from our anatomic museum