We describe successful closure of a persistently patent arterial duct, using an Amplatzer occluder, in the presence of a large thoracic aortic aneurysm in the area of the ductal ampulla. Although percutaneous closure is more difficult in this setting, because of the risk of traumatising the fragile tissues, it can safely be performed. In our case, it produced a decrease in the size of the aneurysm, and permitted us to delay endovascular repair of the thoracic aorta.

Derivatives of Imidazoline usually act to stimulate peripheral alpha2 receptors causing vasoconstriction. In young children, however, they can also stimulate alpha2receptors in the cardiovascular and central nervous systems, possibly causing cardiovascular, neurological, and respiratory depression. These medications do not require medical prescriptions, so often parents use them, bypassing paediatricians. We report here a case of cardiovascular and neurological depression induced by oxymetalzoline in a toddler.

Kawasaki disease is a systemic vasculitis occurring in children of all ages. Coronary arterial aneurysms are one of the main fatal complications of the disease, and are usually observed with the onset of coronary arterial disease in adults. We report a young male presenting with myocardial infarction due to coronary arterial aneurysms, but in the absence of previous symptoms of Kawasaki disease.

Atrioventricular block is an important complication after percutaneous closure of perimembranous ventricular septal defects. In the majority of cases, it appears in early or in the midterm of closure. We present a patient who developed symptomatic Mobitz 2 second-degree atrioventricular block 3 years following percutaneous closure of such a defect.

We describe the progress of a girl aged 5 years, who suffered blunt trauma to the chest producing a ventricular septal defect of 1 centimetre in diameter. The shunt generated a mild dilation of the left-sided chambers, and exertional dyspnoea. Three months later, therapeutic catheterisation revealed important diminution in the extent of shunting. We decided, therefore, not to close the defect, and she has since remained asymptomatic.

Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome is a rare X-linked disease, associated with immunodeficiency, infections, thrombocytopaenia, and eczema. Aortitis and formation of aneurysms have also been described. We describe here our experience with a 7-year-boy with this syndrome. He survived replacement of the aortic root because of an aneurysmal ascending aorta, and subsequent bone marrow transplantation.

We report an infant with transposition, with the circumflex artery arising from the right coronary artery, who was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis following the occurrence of meconium ileus in the postoperative period.

Pulmonary arterial sling, rare in itself, is even rarer when associated with tetralogy of Fallot. Successful single-stage correction of this combination, with extensive pulmonary arterial reconstruction, has been reported only occasionally. We describe our experience with an 18 month-old girl, showing that extensive reconstruction of both the pulmonary arteries and the right ventricular outflow tract can permit single-stage correction in selected patients, resulting in favourable physiology and anatomy.

Coronary arterial involvement is rare in Takayasu’s arteritis. We describe successful coronary arterial bypass grafting in a 15 year teenager with Takayasu’s arteritis and unstable angina because of stenosis of the main stem of the left coronary artery.

We describe an atypical myxoma in the right ventricular outflow tract of a 12-year old girl. After identification using echocardiography, we assessed its precise location and attachments by magnetic resonance imaging. Subsequent to surgical removal, histology confirmed the myxomatous nature of the tumour.

An 18-year-old female patient with tricuspid atresia, discordant ventriculo-arterial connections, a total cavo-pulmonary connection, and a Damus-Kaye-Stansel suffered with atrial tachycardia. Use of a magnetically navigated catheter made it possible to create an electro-anatomical map of both atriums using a retrograde approach. It then proved possible to ablate successfully the tachycardia in the left atrium thanks to the unique capabilities of the magnetic navigation system.

We report a successful percutaneous neonatal closure of haemodynamically significant patent arterial duct. The neonate was suffering multiorgan failure, and had complete atrioventricular block. Closure of the patent arterial duct, either with surgery or inhibitors of cyclooxygenase, was contraindicated. We inserted the Amplatzer Duct Occluder II, showing that percutaneous closure of a patent arterial duct is now feasible in critically ill neonates.