title: Minimally invasive transthoracic device closure of an acquired sinus of valsalva-right ventricle fistula in a pediatric patient.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sinus of Valsalva-right ventricle fistula is a recognized but very rare complication after surgical repair of subaortic ventricular septal defect. Surgical repair with cardiopulmonary bypass and percutaneous transcatheter closure guided by x-ray has been the traditional treatment for fistula of sinus of Valsalva.
  
  
  METHODS
  Recently, we have used a novel approach, that avoids the need for either secondary open surgical repair or radiation exposure; that is, minimally invasive transthoracic device closure guided by transesophageal echocardiography to occlude an acquired sinus of Valsalva-right ventricle fistula in a 4-year-old patient.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To our knowledge, there have been no prior cases reported of this technique applied to close an acquired sinus of Valsalva-right ventricle fistula. This report aims to provide a detailed description of the procedure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardio-thoracic Surgery, The Second Xiang Ya Hospital of Central South University, Xing Ya, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardio-thoracic Surgery, The Second Xiang Ya Hospital of Central South University, Xing Ya, China.
authors.forename: Qin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardio-thoracic Surgery, The Second Xiang Ya Hospital of Central South University, Xing Ya, China.
authors.forename: Xinhua
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardio-thoracic Surgery, The Second Xiang Ya Hospital of Central South University, Xing Ya, China.
authors.forename: Tianli
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardio-thoracic Surgery, The Second Xiang Ya Hospital of Central South University, Xing Ya, China.
authors.forename: Yifeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
keywords: Fistula of Sinus of Valsalva; Minimally invasive; Device Closure; Transesophageal Echocardiography