Background Repeat surgery and the percutaneous approach (transcatheter closure (TCC)) have been used for the management of postoperative left-to-right shunts. In this study, we described our 15 years of experience in treating postoperative left-to-right shunts with these two approaches. Methods From February 2002 to February 2017, 50 patients with residual left-to-right shunts, following card...

A new method of determining pulmonary-to-systemic flow ratios (Qp/Qs) in patients with left-to-right shunts using radionuclide angiocardiography is described. It involves the analysis of pulmonary time-activity histograms using a gamma-variate model. It appears to be simple, relatively atraumatic, and superior to the methods using C2/C1 ratios because, in addition to accurately detecting the pr...

Quantitation of left-to-right shunts was determined noninvasively from the pulmonary clearance pattern of inhaled 15oxygen-labeled carbon dioxide (C15O2). After a single breath inhalation of C15O2, counts over the lungs were obtained from sequential 0.5 sec positron camera images. In 21 patients without left-to-right shunts, counts declined exponentially due to the washout of C15O2 by the pulmo...

Left ventricular to right atrial (LV-RA) shunt is an unusual type of ventricular septal defect (VSD). This article concentrates on acquired LV-RA shunts, which may be due to complications of cardiac operation, endocarditis, trauma or myocardial infarction. A previous cardiac operation is its most common cause. The diagnosis of LV-RA communication is not easy, and it should be remembered in pati...

A quantitative radionuclide angiogram technique using an intravenous injection of technetium99m (Tc-99m) pertechnetate is described for quantitation of left-to-right shunts in the central circulation. Data analysis assumes exponential indicator clearance from normal cardiac chambers by dilution. A late prolongation of tracer disappearance compared to the initial clearance rate indicates an abno...

Two-dimensional echocardiography (2-D echo) was used with peripherally injected contrast material to detect interatrial shunts in 33 patients. Group 1 consisted of 11 patients having classic clinical findings of atrial septal defect. Group 2 consisted of 12 patients with problems requiring that atrial shunting be excluded. Group 3 (control group) consisted of 10 patients undergoing cardiac cath...