Forensic application of micro-radiological analysis and 3D-printed vertebrae in a stab wound homicide case.

Stab injuries involving the vertebral region are rare and pose significant challenges during forensic autopsy due to the complexity of the surrounding anatomical structures. Radiological techniques, such as post-mortem computed tomography (PMCT) or micro-CT, have shown great potential for detecting and detailing sharp bone lesions. We herein present a fatal case of homicidal stab wound involving the left vertebral artery and the homolateral surface of the axis.

Mixed reality for preoperative planning and intraoperative assistance of surgical correction of complex congenital heart defects.

Objectives: Mixed reality (MixR) is an innovative visualization tool that presents virtual elements in a real-world environment, enabling real-time interaction between the user and the combined digital/physical reality. We aimed to explore the feasibility of MixR in enhancing preoperative planning and intraoperative guidance for the correction of various complex congenital heart defects.

Methods: Patients underwent cardiac computed tomography or cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and segmentation of digital imaging and communications in medicine images was performed.

Successful Implantation of HeartMate3 in a Small Child After Multimodality Imaging Pathway to Assess Feasibility.

The current use of intracorporeal left ventricular assist devices in children is still limited by small body dimensions. Many children weighing of less than 30 kg requiring durable mechanical circulatory support are implanted with the Berlin Heart EXCOR, a paracorporeal device. We present the case of a girl aged 10 years with a body surface area of 1.

Intracorporeal LVAD implantation in pediatric patients: A single-center 10 years' experience.

Background: Mechanical cardiac support is currently an effective strategy to reduce morbidity and mortality in pediatric patients. However, solid evidence regarding the feasibility of intracorporeal devices in children still needs to be provided. We report our 10-year experience with intracorporeal left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) in children.

The introduction of surgical simulation on three-dimensional-printed models in the cardiac surgery curriculum: an experimental project.

Aims: Training in congenital cardiac surgery has become more and more difficult because of the reduced opportunities for trainees in the operating room and the high patient anatomical variability. The aim of this study was to perform a pilot evaluation of surgical simulation on a simple 3D-printed heart model in training of young surgeons and its potential inclusion in the curriculum of residency programs.

Methods: A group of 11 residents performed a surgical correction of aortic coarctation using a 3D-printed surgical model.

3D Reconstruction for a Complex Pediatric Redo Aortic Arch Surgery in a 9-Year-Old Ukrainian Refugee.

Redo aortic surgery poses significant challenges, particularly in complex scenarios involving congenital heart conditions that have been previously operated on several years prior. The integration of three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction and printing holds immense potential to greatly improve surgical precision, particularly in critical situations.

Fast-track virtual reality software to facilitate 3-dimensional reconstruction in congenital heart disease.

Objectives: Two limitations of the clinical use of 3-dimensional (3D) reconstruction and virtual reality systems are the relatively high cost and the amount of experience required to use hardware and software to effectively explore medical images. We have tried to simplify the process and validate a new tool developed for this purpose with a novel software package.

Methods: Five patients with right partial anomalous pulmonary venous return with adequate preoperative images acquired with magnetic resonance imaging were enrolled.

Three-Dimensional-Enabled Surgical Planning for the Correction of Right Partial Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Return.

Objectives: The surgical technique for right partial anomalous pulmonary venous return (PAPVR) depends on the location of the anomalous pulmonary veins (PVs). With this in mind, we sought to evaluate the impact of 3D heart segmentation and reconstruction on preoperative surgical planning. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on all patients who underwent PAPVR repair at our institution between January 2018 and October 2021; three-dimensional segmentations and reconstructions of all the heart anatomies were performed.

Rescue ross procedure and mitral valve repair on a low birth weight preterm neonate.

Although mid- and long-term outcomes after the Ross procedure for aortic valve disease have been increasingly improving over the years, this is still a rather challenging operation in neonates and small children. This is particularly true for patients with associated congenital heart defects and critical clinical conditions. Herein we describe the application of this procedure as a rescue operation in emergency circumstances in a low-birth-weight neonate with severe aortic stenosis, aortic regurgitation and mitral regurgitation after a previous aortic coartectomy.

Three-dimensional Printing for Hybrid Closure of Complex Muscular Ventricular Septal Defects.

The identification and surgical closure of apical complex muscular ventricular septal defects remains a difficult problem because of their location in the ventricular septum distal to the moderating band. Three-dimensional reconstruction can help the surgeon to better understand the location and structure of congenital cardiac defects. We report the case of a child with multiple apical complex muscular ventricular septal defects closed through a hybrid approach with the aid of a 3-dimensional printed model.

Three-Dimensional Printing of Fetal Heart With d-Transposition of the Great Arteries From Ultrasound Imaging Data.

We reconstructed and printed a 3D model of the fetal heart affected by d-transposition of the great arteries from prenatal ultrasound images. Our 3D model revealed to be very helpful in showing the basic anatomical features of fetal complex Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) and represents an interesting additional diagnostic tool to the current standard imaging armamentarium, improving the quality of prenatal parental counseling.

Late management of the aortic root after repair of tetralogy of Fallot: A European multicentre study.

Objectives: We sought to determine the indications, type, and outcomes of reoperations on the aortic root after repair of tetralogy of Fallot (TOF).

Methods: Eleven centers belonging to the European Congenital Heart Surgeons Association contributed to the data collection process. We included 36 patients who underwent surgical procedures on the aortic root, including surgery on the aortic valve and ascending aorta, between January 1975 and December 2017.