Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 41 in total

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  1. Ismail Z, Alwi M, Lim MK, Murtazam HA, Jamaluddin A
    Acta Paediatr Jpn, 1994 Feb;36(1):44-8.
    PMID: 8165907
    Nine children, aged 2.5 months to 16 years, presenting with tachyarrhythmias were treated with intravenous (i.v.) flecainide, a type 1C antiarrhythmic drug. There were four boys and five girls; seven were supraventricular and two ventricular tachycardias and three had structural cardiac abnormalities. The i.v. dose required to terminate the arrhythmias ranged from 1.0 to 2.4 mg/kg (mean 1.55 mg/kg) although a mean of 1.94 mg/kg per dose was required to maintain sustained sinus rhythm after a single i.v. dose. Eight of the patients--six supraventricular and two ventricular tachyarrhythmias, required maintenance oral flecainide. Oral dosages of 6.7-9.5 mg/kg per day (mean of 7.97 mg/kg per day in three divided doses) were required to effectively prevent the tachyarrhythmias. Intravenous and oral flecainide are safe and effective in terminating supraventricular and ventricular tachyarrhythmias. No evidence of proarrhythmia was found in the patients during follow up of between 5 and 9 months. The present limitation of performing radiofrequency ablation on infants and small children justifies the important place of medical therapy for re-entrant supraventricular tachyarrhythmias.
  2. Chan KC, Alwi M
    Med J Malaysia, 1987 Jun;42(2):97-103.
    PMID: 3503198
    Eleven consecutive cases of simple transposition of great arteries were palliated by balloon atrial septostomy, The arterial saturation was improved and the gradient across the atrial septum was reduced or abolished. Improvement in the clinical status was achieved in all the patients. There was no mortality and morbidity was mild. A description of the technique as well as a brief review of the anatomy and haemodynamics of complete transposition of great arteries are the aims of this paper.
  3. Alwi M, Kang LM, Samion H, Latiff HA, Kandavel G, Zambahari R
    Am J Cardiol, 1997 May 15;79(10):1430-2.
    PMID: 9165178 DOI: 10.1016/s0002-9149(97)00160-4
    Two hundred eleven patients with small- to moderate-sized native patent ductus arteriosus underwent closure using Gianturco coils, employing the transvenous multiple catheter approach. Short-term results showed a high rate of complete occlusion and a potential long-term complication of mild left pulmonary artery stenosis in a small number of patients.
  4. Djer MM, Latiff HA, Alwi M, Samion H, Kandavello G
    Heart Lung Circ, 2006 Feb;15(1):12-7.
    PMID: 16473785
    From November 1997 to June 2002, percutaneous transcatheter closure of muscular ventricular septal defects was attempted in seven patients. Four patients had single and three had multiple defects. Surgical closure was performed in two patients in an attempt to close a perimembranous defect, leaving behind a large apical muscular defect, which was successfully closed using a device in one patient, whilst the second patient succumbed to septicemia/endocarditis 3 weeks after failure of device implantation. One patient had previous pulmonary artery banding and in another intraoperative placement of two Clamshell devices followed by additional transcatheter closure using Gianturco coils in two different sessions was performed.
  5. Latiff HA, Alwi M, Kandhavel G, Samion H, Zambahari R
    Ann Thorac Surg, 1999 Oct;68(4):1400-1.
    PMID: 10543517
    A 10-month-old boy underwent operation to close a large secundum atrial septal defect and multiple muscular ventricular septal defects. Closure of the ventricular septal defects was unsuccessful and led to worsening cardiac failure and inability to wean the patient from mechanical ventilation. Transcatheter closure of the ventricular septal defects using Gianturco coils was undertaken. This technique is an effective alternative for closure of multiple muscular ventricular septal defects in infants and small children.
  6. Latiff HA, Alwi M, Samion H, Kandhavel G
    Cardiol Young, 2002 May;12(3):224-8.
    PMID: 12365167
    This study reviewed the short-term outcome of transcatheter closure of the defects within the oval fossa using an Amplatzer Septal Occluder. From January 1997 to December 2000, 210 patients with defects within the oval fossa underwent successful transcatheter closure. We reviewed a total of 190 patients with left-to-right shunts, assessing the patients for possible complications and the presence of residual shunts using transthoracic echocardiogram at 24 h, 1 month, 3 months and one year. Their median age was 10 years, with a range from 2 to 64 years, and their median weight was 23.9 kg, with a range from 8.9 to 79 kg. In 5 patients, a patent arterial duct was closed, and in 2 pulmonary balloon valvoplasty performed, at the same sitting. The median size of the Amplatzer device used was 20 mm, with a range from 9 to 36 mm. The median times for the procedure and fluoroscopy were 95 min, with a range from 30 to 210 min, and 18.4 min, with a range from 5 to 144 min, respectively. Mean follow-up was 20.8 +/- 12.4 months. Complete occlusion was obtained in 168 of 190 (88%) patients at 24 h, 128 of 133 (96.2%) at 3 months, and 103 of 104 (99%) at one year. Complications occurred in 4 (2.1%) patients. In one, the device became detached, in the second the device embolized into the right ventricular outflow tract, the lower end of the device straddled in the third, and the final patient had significant bleeding from the site of venupuncture. There were no major complications noted on follow-up. We conclude that transcatheter closure of defects within the oval fossa using the Amplatzer Septal Occluder is safe and effective. Long-term follow-up is required, nonetheless, before it is recommended as a standard procedure.
  7. Latiff HA, Samion H, Kandhavel G, Aziz BA, Alwi M
    Cardiol Young, 2001 Mar;11(2):201-4.
    PMID: 11293739
    BACKGROUND: From January, 1997, as part of an international multicentric trial, we have been closing small-to-moderate atrial septal defects within the oval fossa using the Amplatzer Septal Occluder (ASO, AGA Medical).

    METHODS: All patients with defects within the oval fossa deemed potentially suitable for transcatheter closure were investigated by transesophageal echocardiography with the aim of gaining extra information that might alter the decision to use the device to close the defect. Views were obtained in transverse and longitudinal planes, permitting measurements of the diameter of the defect, and its distance from the atrioventricular valves, coronary sinus, and pulmonary veins. Additionally, we sought to identify multiple defects, and to exclude sinus venosus defects.

    RESULTS: Of 56 patients with left-to-right shunts, 41 (73.2%) were deemed suitable for closure with the Amplatzer Septal Occluder. All underwent the procedure successfully, with no complications. This includes 5 patients with multiple small defects that were sufficiently close to the main defect to be closed with a single device. Only two of these had been detected on the transthoracic study. In the remaining 15 of 56 patients, transcatheter closure was deemed unsuitable. In 9 patients, this was due to the limitation of the size of the device available during the period of study, this representing a relative contraindication. In the remaining 6 (10.7%), transcatheter closure was not performed because multiple defects were too far apart to be closed with a single device in 3 patients, two patients were noted to have a sinus venosus defect, and another was noted to have anomalous connection of the right upper pulmonary vein to the right atrium. Excluding patients contraindicated due to the size of the defect alone, transesophageal echocardiography provided extra information in one-tenth of our patients, which altered the decision regarding management.

    CONCLUSION: Transesophageal echocardiography is indispensable in the evaluation of patients undergoing transcatheter closure of atrial septal defect.

  8. Abdelbasit MA, Alwi M, Kandavello G, Che Mood M, Samion H, Hijazi ZM
    Catheter Cardiovasc Interv, 2015 Jul;86(1):94-9.
    PMID: 25675888 DOI: 10.1002/ccd.25878
    OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of the Occlutech® PDA occluder for closure of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA).

    BACKGROUND: The Occlutech® PDA occluder is novel, self-shaping Nitinol wire device with PET (polyethylene terephthalate) patches integrated into the shank of the device to assure a better obturation of the ductus. The Occlutech® PDA occluder has undergone two design modifications.

    METHODS: A prospective, non-randomized pilot study was started in November 2011. Thirty-three patients were included until April 2013. Patients weighing <6 kg or those with associated cardiac anomalies that required surgery were excluded. All patients were followed up by transthoracic echocardiography at 24 hr, 30 days, 90 days, 180 days, and 360 days after implantation. Residual shunt, left pulmonary artery (LPA) and descending aortic velocities were among the parameters assessed. All occluders were delivered via 6-8 F long sheaths and PDA closures were performed following standard techniques.

    RESULTS: Thirty three patients (20 female/13 male), with a median age of 2 years (6 month to 38 years), and median weight of 9.3 kg (6-69.2 kg) were included. The narrowest median PDA diameter was 3mm (1.8-5.8 mm). All the 33 patients were closed successfully using Occlutech ductal occluder, 16 patients (48.4%) had immediate and complete closure on angiography. Within 24 hr, color Doppler revealed complete closure in 27patients (81.8%), 32patients (97%) at 30 days, and in 100% of patients at 90 days. All patients with a large PDA had immediate residual shunt which was closed at the 90-day follow-up. There was no device embolization, hemolysis, or obstruction to the LPA or descending aorta.

    CONCLUSION: The new Occlutech® PDA is safe and effective. In patients with a large PDA complete closure tended to take longer time.

  9. Bilkis AA, Alwi M, Hasri S, Haifa AL, Geetha K, Rehman MA, et al.
    J Am Coll Cardiol, 2001 Jan;37(1):258-61.
    PMID: 11153748 DOI: 10.1016/s0735-1097(00)01094-9
    Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess the safety and efficacy of the Amplatzer ductal occluder (ADO) in transcatheter occlusion of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA).
    Background: Transcatheter closure of small to moderate sized PDAs is an established procedure. The ADO is a self-expandable device with a number of salutary features, notably its retrievability, ease of delivery via small 5F to 7F catheters and a range of sizes suitable even for the larger PDAs.
    Methods: Between November 1997 and August 1999, the ADO was successfully implanted in 205 of 209 patients with PDA. The inclusion criteria for this device occlusion method were patients with clinical and echocardiographic features of moderate to large PDA, weighing > or =3.5 kg as well as asymptomatic adolescents and adults with PDA measuring > or =5.0 mm on two-dimensional (2D) echocardiogram. Occlusion was achieved via the antegrade venous approach. Follow-up evaluations were performed with 2D echocardiogram, color-flow mapping and Doppler measurement of the descending aorta and left pulmonary artery velocity at 24 h and 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after implantation.
    Results: Two hundred and five patients had successful PDA occlusion using this device. The patients were between two months and 50 years (median 1.9) and weighed between 3.4 kg and 63.2 (median 8.4). Infants made up 26% of the total patients. The PDA measured from 1.8 to 12.5 mm (mean 4.9) at the narrowest diameter. Forty-four percent of patients achieved immediate complete occlusion. On color Doppler the closure rates at 24 h and 1 month after implant were 66% and 97%, respectively. At 6 and 12 months all except one patient attained complete occlusion. Device embolization occurred in three patients; in two this was spontaneous, and in the other it was due to catheter manipulation during postimplant hemodynamic measurement. Mild aortic narrowing was seen in an infant.
    Conclusions: Patent ductus arteriosus occlusion using ADO is safe and efficacious. It is particularly useful in symptomatic infants and small children with relatively large PDA. Embolization can be minimized by selection of appropriate sized devices, and caution should be exercised in infants <5 kg.
  10. Roslan A, Soon CK, Sin TY, Aktifanus ATJ, Ling SS, Boon WK, et al.
    J Cardiothorac Surg, 2024 Jan 02;19(1):3.
    PMID: 38167451 DOI: 10.1186/s13019-023-02472-2
    BACKGROUND: This study examined the characteristics and outcomes of surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) both isolated and in combination with other cardiac surgery in Malaysia from 2015 to 2021.

    METHODS: This was a retrospective study of 1346 patients analyzed on the basis of medical records, echocardiograms and surgical reports. The overall sample was both considered as a whole and divided into aortic stenosis (AS)/aortic regurgitation (AR)-predominant and similar-severity subgroups.

    RESULTS: The most common diagnosis was severe AS (34.6%), with the 3 most common etiologies being bicuspid valve degeneration (45.3%), trileaflet valve degeneration (36.3%) and rheumatic valve disease (12.2%). The second most common diagnosis was severe AR (25.5%), with the most common etiologies being root dilatation (21.0%), infective endocarditis (IE) (16.6%) and fused prolapse (12.2%). Rheumatic valve disease was the most common mixed disease. A total of 54.5% had AS-predominant pathology (3 most common etiologies: bicuspid valve degeneration valve, degenerative trileaflet valve and rheumatic valve disease), 36.9% had AR-predominant pathology (top etiologies: root dilatation, rheumatic valve disease and IE), and 8.6% had similar severity of AS and AR. Overall, 62.9% of patients had trileaflet valve morphology, 33.3% bicuspid, 0.6% unicuspid and 0.3% quadricuspid. For AS, the majority were high-gradient severe AS (49.9%), followed by normal-flow low-gradient (LG) severe AS (10.0%), paradoxical low-flow (LF)-LG severe AS (6.4%) and classical LF-LG severe AS (6.1%). The overall in-hospital and total 1-year mortality rates were 6.4% and 14.8%, respectively. Pure severe AS had the highest mortality. For AS-predominant pathology, the etiology with the highest mortality was trileaflet valve degeneration; for AR-predominant pathology, it was dissection. The overall survival probability at 5 years was 79.5% in all patients, 75.7% in the AS-predominant subgroup, 83.3% in the AR-predominant subgroup, and 87.3% in the similar-severity subgroup.

    CONCLUSIONS: The 3 most common causes of AS- predominant patients undergoing SAVR is bicuspid valve degeneration, degenerative trileaflet valve and rheumatic and for AR-predominant is root dilatation, rheumatic and IE. Rheumatic valve disease is an important etiology in our SAVR patients especially in mixed aortic valve disease. Study registration IJNREC/562/2022.

  11. Alwi M
    Future Cardiol, 2012 Mar;8(2):237-50.
    PMID: 22413983 DOI: 10.2217/fca.12.4
    Maintaining ductal patency in duct-dependent congenital heart lesions by implantation of coronary stents is an alternative to systemic pulmonary shunt in selected cases and lesions with suitable anatomy. This article focuses on the procedure as the initial palliation in duct-dependent pulmonary circulation, its associated pitfalls and complications. A good understanding of the diverse duct morphology is paramount prior to stenting of the ductus. Long tortuous duct, insufficiently constricted ductus at the pulmonary end and ductus with associated branch pulmonary artery stenosis at the site of insertion are not suitable for stenting. Durability of palliation is generally inferior to a surgical shunt and this may dictate earlier definitive surgical repair. Acceleration of branch pulmonary artery stenosis in certain ductal morphology limits its general applicability. Bioabsorbable and biodegradable stents may offer some solution to this problem.
  12. Alwi M
    Ann Pediatr Cardiol, 2008 Jan;1(1):38-45.
    PMID: 20300236 DOI: 10.4103/0974-2069.41054
    Ductal stenting is an attractive alternative to conventional shunt surgery in duct dependent congenital heart disease as it avoids thoracotomy and its related problems. With today's generation of coronary stents which have better profile, flexibility and trackability, ductal stenting may be achieved safely and with considerably less difficulty than previously described.As in Blalock-Taussig (BT) shunt, ductal stenting is indicated mainly in duct-dependent cyanotic lesions chiefly in the neonatal period. Unlike the Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) as an isolated lesion, the ductus in cyanotic heart disease has a remarkable morphologic variability. The ductus tends to arise more proximally under the aortic arch, giving rise to a vertical ductus or occasionally it may arise from the subclavian artery. It also tends to be long and sometimes very tortuous, rendering stent implantation technically impossible. The ductus in these patients may also insert onto one of the branch pulmonary arteries with some stenosis at the site of insertion. The ductus in Tetralogy of Fallot with pulmonary atresia (TOF-PA) tend to exhibit these morphologic features and to a lesser degree in transposition of great arteries with ventricular septal defect and pulmonary atresia (TGA-VSD-PA) and the more complex forms of univentricular hearts. In the preliminary angiographic evaluation, it is important to delineate these morphologic features as the basis for case selection.Ductal stenting may be done by the retrograde femoral artery route or the antegrade transvenous route depending on the ductus morphology and the underlying cardiac lesion. The detailed techniques and essential hardware are described. Finally, major potential complications of the procedure are described. Acute stent thrombosis is the most serious and potentially catastrophic. Emergent treatment with thrombolytic therapy and mechanical disruption of thrombus are required. With proper case selection, appropriate technique and the right hardware ductal stenting provides reasonable short-medium term palliation in duct-dependent cyanotic heart disease.
  13. Rehman R, Marhisham MC, Alwi M
    Future Cardiol, 2018 01;14(1):55-73.
    PMID: 29199861 DOI: 10.2217/fca-2017-0053
    Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) stenting has gained acceptance for palliation in cyanotic congenital heart disease. The PDA in tetralogy of Fallot with pulmonary atresia (ToF-PA) arises, in the left aortic arch, from underneath the arch and connects to the proximal left pulmonary artery, often resulting in stenosis. The PDA is usually elongated and tortuous, making stent implantation challenging. Shorter duration of palliation, aggravation of branch pulmonary artery stenosis resulting in poor growth and difficulty at surgery makes ductal stenting controversial. Access via the carotid and axillary artery reduces complexity of the procedure and improves success, with recent data demonstrating good pulmonary artery growth. Advances in bioresorbable stents offer future promise and will likely resolve some controversies surrounding PDA stenting in ToF-PA.
  14. Lee J, Sivalingam S, Alwi M
    Ann Pediatr Cardiol, 2017 9 21;10(3):281-283.
    PMID: 28928615 DOI: 10.4103/apc.APC_168_16
    We report a case of Tetralogy of Fallot with severe cyanosis who underwent a successful right ventricular outflow tract stenting. Follow-up echocardiography revealed moderate aortic regurgitation due to the impingement of the stent on the aortic valve. The patient underwent successful surgical correction at which time the stent was removed completely with a resolution of the aortic regurgitation.
  15. Alwi M, Mood MC
    Interv Cardiol Clin, 2013 Jan;2(1):93-113.
    PMID: 28581990 DOI: 10.1016/j.iccl.2012.09.011
    Stenting of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is an attractive alternative to the surgical aortopulmonary shunt in the palliation of cyanotic congenital heart disease. However, the diverse morphology of PDA in this setting limits its role, as stenting an overly tortuous duct may not be feasible, and in a significant number of patients, ductus-related pulmonary artery stenosis contraindicates this procedure. The major acute complications are stent migration, thrombosis, and cardiac failure. Early failure of palliation caused by in-stent stenosis is another limitation of this procedure.

    Study site: Institut Jantung Negara (IJN), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  16. Hayashi T, Akhtar S, Alwi M
    Ann Pediatr Cardiol, 2017 6 2;10(2):206-208.
    PMID: 28566833 DOI: 10.4103/0974-2069.205143
    We report our experience with a stent migration after right ventricle outflow tract stenting and converted to patent ductus arteriosus stenting in Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) with severe infundibular stenosis. Finally, the patient achieved to TOF repair, and the migrated stent was removed without any complication.
  17. Tan JWY, Alwi M, Siew ELL, Samion H
    Catheter Cardiovasc Interv, 2021 Oct;98(4):738-742.
    PMID: 34143549 DOI: 10.1002/ccd.29838
    Ductal stenting in patients with duct-dependent pulmonary circulation has allowed growth of pulmonary arteries prior to definitive surgical procedures. Intraprocedural stent thrombosis (IPST) of the arterial duct is a life-threatening complication as it leads to total circulatory collapse. Previous reports have described use of tissue plasminogen activators in infants for less emergent settings. We report three infants with IPST and the use of tenecteplase to overcome this. Also discussed are the predisposing mechanisms in each scenario and a possibility of direct catheter-guided tenecteplase administration. Judicious use of tenecteplase can be life-saving and rapid access to this drug may obviate the need for emergency extracorporeal life support.
  18. Alwi M, Kandavello G, Choo KK, Aziz BA, Samion H, Latiff HA
    Cardiol Young, 2005 Apr;15(2):141-7.
    PMID: 15845156
    Some patients with pulmonary atresia with an intact ventricular septum, mild to moderate right ventricular hypoplasia, and a patent infundibulum remain duct dependent on the flow of blood through the arterial duct despite adequate relief of the obstruction within the right ventricular outflow tract. The objective of our study was to review the risk factors for stenting of the patent arterial duct, or construction of a Blalock-Taussig shunt, in the patients with pulmonary atresia and an intact ventricular septum who remain duct-dependent following radiofrequency valvotomy and dilation of the imperforate pulmonary valve. We reviewed the data from 53 patients seen between November 1995 and December 2001. Of the 47 patients who survived, 6 required stenting of the patent arterial duct, while 4 needed construction of a modified Blalock-Taussig shunt to augment the flow of blood to the lungs at a mean of 7 plus or minus 5.7 days following the initial intervention. The remaining 37 patients required no additional procedures. We compared the findings in these two groups. The mean diameter of the tricuspid valve in the patients requiring early reintervention was 8.5 plus or minus 3.7 millimetres, giving a Z-score of -1.1 plus or minus 1.47, whilst those in the group without early reintervention had values of 10.7 plus or minus 2.2 millimetres, giving a Z-score of -0.58 plus or minus 1.18 (p equal to 0.003). No statistically significant differences were found in right ventricular morphology, McGoon ratio, or residual obstruction across the right ventricular outflow tract after decompression of the right ventricle. The diameter of the tricuspid valve, therefore, appears to be the only factor predicting the need for augmentation of flow of blood to the lungs. As just over one-fifth of our survivors required such augmentation, we hypothesize that stenting of the patent arterial duct may be performed as an integral part of primary transcatheter therapy in patients with pulmonary atresia and intact ventricular septum who have moderate right ventricular hypoplasia and a small tricuspid valve.
  19. Elarabi AI, Leong MC, Alwi M
    Ann Pediatr Cardiol, 2017 6 2;10(2):203-205.
    PMID: 28566832 DOI: 10.4103/0974-2069.205157
    We report an 8-year-old male child with tetralogy of Fallot (TOF), who developed left pulmonary artery (LPA) atresia, following surgical repair of TOF and left pulmonary arterioplasty at the age of 6 years. He underwent successful radiofrequency recanalization and stenting of the LPA. The LPA exhibited satisfactory growth for 3 months, following recanalization and stenting.
  20. Alwi M, Geetha K, Bilkis AA, Lim MK, Hasri S, Haifa AL, et al.
    J Am Coll Cardiol, 2000 Feb;35(2):468-76.
    PMID: 10676696
    We compared the result of radiofrequency (RF)-assisted valvotomy and balloon dilation with closed surgical valvotomy and Blalock Taussig (BT) shunt as primary treatment in selected patients with pulmonary atresia and intact ventricular septum (PA-IVS).
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