Restrictive interatrial communication with protein-losing enteropathy and coagulopathy in hypoplastic left heart syndrome after Norwood palliation

Protein-losing enteropathy managed with percutaneous enlargement of a restrictive atrial septal defect

Protein-losing enteropathy is one of the most feared complications of the Fontan circulation. The diagnosis of protein-losing enteropathy in this setting should prompt a thorough investigation for the presence of a treatable hemodynamic impairment. In this report, we describe a complete reversal of protein-losing enteropathy following percutaneous enlargement of a restrictive atrial septal defect in a patient with a fenestrated lateral tunnel Fontan and severe mitral stenosis.

Enteropathies of Infancy and Childhood

Intestinal biopsies constitute an ever-increasing portion of the pathologist's workload, accounting for nearly two-thirds of specimens accessioned yearly by the pathology department at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. The widespread use of endoscopy and gastrointestinal biopsies in current clinical practice presents the pathologist with a diversity of intestinal mucosal appearances corresponding to disease states of variable clinical severity, requiring close collaboration between clinician and pathologist for optimal interpretation. Many of the entities resulting in severe diarrhea of infancy have been recognized only in the last several decades, and although rare, the study of these disorders, especially when combined with the powerful methods of present-day genetics and molecular biology, has afforded important insights into enterocyte development and function, and intestinal immunity and tolerance. Other conditions once considered infrequent, such as celiac disease, have now been recognized to be much more common and can present with a wide range of pathologic features.

Stent implantation for recurrent interatrial obstruction in an infant with hypoplastic left heart syndrome

We report the case of a 19-month-old girl with hypoplastic left heart syndrome who, after Norwood stage 1 and 2 procedures, developed recurrent interatrial obstruction and was treated effectively with stent implantation. The stent was explanted electively 14 months after implantation and showed almost no endothelium formation. Therefore, there was no need for redo atrioseptectomy and the surgical intervention could be staged electively.

Restrictive interatrial communication in hypoplastic left heart syndrome after modified Fontan repair

The occurrence of pulmonary venous obstruction after total cavopulmonary connection with intraatrial lateral tunnel is a rare occurrence. We present two cases of hypoplastic left heart syndrome with restrictive interatrial communication presenting late after this type of modified Fontan repair. This occurred even after complete excision of the atrial septum at the time of Stage 1 Norwood in both cases. A novel approach to this problem of resecting the roof of the coronary sinus was utilized to enlarge the interatrial communication.