Goetz Christoph Mueller

University Medical Center Hamburg - Eppendorf

Almost 2 years into the pandemic and with vaccination of children significantly lagging behind adults, long-term pediatric humoral immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 are understudied. The C19.CHILD Hamburg (COVID-19 Child Health Investigation of Latent Disease) Study is a prospective cohort study designed to identify and follow up children and their ho...

Objectives Delayed sternal closure is a routine procedure to reduce hemodynamic and respiratory instability in pediatric patients following cardiac surgery, particularly in neonates and infants. In this setting, the possible links between sternal wound infection and delayed sternal closure are still a matter of debate. As a part of our routine, the...

In Fontan patients, any pulmonary stenosis may impede free passive inflow into the pulmonary circuit and elevate central venous pressure. When stenting such pulmonary stenosis, dislocation of a stent is a feared complication. Here, we report on a successful retrieval of a dislocated Cook Formula stent into the peripheral left pulmonary artery in a...

Ebstein's anomaly is a rare congenital heart disease with malformation of the tricuspid valve and myopathy of the right ventricle. The septal and inferior leaflets adhere to the endocardium due to failure of delamination. This leads to apical displacement of their hinge points with a shift of the functional tricuspid valve annulus towards the right...

Drowning is one of the leading causes of accidental deaths in children worldwide. However, the use of long-term extracorporeal life support (ECLS) in this setting is not widely established, and rewarming is often achieved by short-term cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) treatment. Thus, we sought to add our experience with this means of support as a brid...

Objective This study presents data from the admission trial to show the feasibility, safety and effectiveness of the Nit-Occlud® Lê VSD in the treatment of perimembranous ventricular septal defects with an aneurysmal configuration and a diameter up to 8 mm. Background The majority of ventricular septal defects (VSD) are still closed surgically, wh...

Currently, no reliable genotype-phenotype correlation is available for pediatric Marfan patients in everyday clinical practice. We investigated correlations of FBN1 variants with the prevalence and age of onset of Marfan manifestations in childhood and differentiated three groups: missense/in-frame, splice, and nonsense/frameshift variants. In addi...

Introduction Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is well-established for pediatric patients with post-cardiotomy heart failure. However, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support is associated with major complications, that is, hemorrhage and thromboembolism. We seek to report our experience with delayed systemic heparinization duri...

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is present in 0.8-0.9% of live births. Prevalence of CHD is constantly increasing during the last decades in line with the treatment options for patients ranging from the surgical as well to the interventional spectrum. Most of the women with underlying CHD reach adulthood due to excellent surgical and interventional...

Background: Ultra-high density mapping (HDM) is a promising tool in the treatment of patients with complex arrhythmias. In adults with congenital heart disease (CHD), rhythm disorders are among the most common complications but catheter ablation can be challenging due to heterogenous anatomy and complex arrhythmogenic substrates. Here, we describe...

Myocarditis represents an important cause for acute heart failure. MYKKE, a prospective multicenter registry of pediatric patients with myocarditis, aims to gain knowledge on courses, diagnostics, and therapy of pediatric myocarditis. The role of mechanical circulatory support (MCS) in children with severe heart failure and myocarditis is unclear....

Several activity interventions in preschool settings exist, but little attention has been paid to effects on hemodynamic factors. The study aimed to assess the effectiveness of an exercise program on health‐related outcomes including blood pressure (BP) and markers of vascular function in preschoolers, with focus on socioeconomic background. A clus...

Isolated unilateral absence of a pulmonary artery (UAPA) is a rare congenital anomaly in which one branch pulmonary artery has no connection to the main pulmonary trunk (most often there is ductal origin). Without treatment, it may lead to ipsilateral pulmonary hypoplasia and contralateral pulmonary artery hypertension. To avoid these complications...

Current balloon expandable and self-expanding valves have limitations for the treatment of the enlarged right ventricular outflow tract. We report the first use of a tailored Zenith graft in composition with an Edwards Sapien S3 valve as an alternative to high-risk surgery for the treatment of a spontaneously ruptured homograft in an adult congenit...

Background: Care for patients with Marfan syndrome (MFS) has improved substantially in recent decades. Increasing clinical knowledge and genetic analysis allow early diagnosis of the disease in childhood. Because of the earlier initiation to preventive and medical treatment, patients' life expectancy has risen. To ensure optimal care, pediatric pa...

Aims: Endomyocardial biopsies (EMBs) are performed infrequently in children owing to significant past complication rates and controversial discussions about the therapeutic value of results. The objective of this study is to investigate the safety and feasibility of EMBs for suspected myocardial disease in relation to their clinical value. Method...

Aortic root dilatation and its complications are known to be the most important and life limiting features in patients with Marfan syndrome (MFS). Since monitoring of patients, preventive medical and surgical treatments are available nowadays, other MFS pathologies are becoming more relevant for the outcome of the disease. Main pulmonary artery (MP...

In August 2010, the Nit-Occlud(®) Lê (EUREVECO) became available for transcatheter coil occlusion of ventricular septal defects (VSDs). Retrospective European Registry for VSD Closure using the Nit-Occlud(®) Lê-VSD-Coil; analysis of the feasibility, results, safety and follow-up of VSD-closure over a 3-year period in 18 European centers. In 102 of...

AIMS: The aim of this registry is to provide data on age-related clinical features of suspected myocarditis and to create a study platform allowing for deriving diagnostic criteria and, at a later stage, testing therapeutic interventions in patients with myocarditis. STUDY DESIGN AND RESULTS: After an initial 6-month pilot phase, MYKKE was opened...

The case describes the endocarditis of an ASD occluder in a grown-up with congenital heart disease. The patient was at first treated as Adult-onset Still disease because of an infection with unkown focus. Due to the immunosuppressive therapy the infection was at first not related to the endocarditis. After treatment symptoms and signs of Adult-onse...

Background: Cardiovascular biomarkers might help to identify fetuses or pregnancies at risk. Aim: To examine the umbilical cord neonatal and maternal levels of cardiovascular biomarkers at the time of delivery, and to correlate maternal and fetal biomarker levels to each other, to gestational age and to delivery mode. Study design: In a prospe...

Objective: There is only sparse evidence regarding the epidemiology, diagnosis and therapy of myocarditis in children and adolescents. Immunological differences between children and adults may cause age-related differences in the presentation, course and might explain a higher proportion of with severe heart failure in paediatric patients. The aim...

Aim: Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a progressive, life-threatening genetic disorder of the connective tissue, which causes impaired quality of life (QoL) in adults. This study investigated the quality of life in children and adolescents, taking into account their gender, age and how MFS affected their organs. Methods: This prospective non-randomised...

Background and aim of the study: Carcinoid heart valve disease (CHVD) occurs as the cardiac manifestation of carcinoid syndrome (also known as Hedinger’s syndrome), which develops secondary to neuroendocrine tumor activity. CHVD almost exclusively affects right-sided heart valves, since circulating serotonin is metabolized by pulmonary endothelial...

Introduction: Compared to mechanical and biological aortic valve replacement, Ross patients do not require anticoagulation and the pulmonary autograft has potential for growth in the aortic position. Despite these advantages, the Ross procedure remains controversial mainly due the potential risk of inducing bivalvar disease. Little is known about f...

Objective To assess feasibility, safety and effectiveness of right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) stenting in symptomatic young infants.Methods Multicentre evaluation of 35 patients intended to undergo RVOT stenting in 11 pediatric cardiac centres from 2009 to August 2011.ResultsMedian age and weight at the time of first stent implantation were 8...

IntroductionElectrical velocimetry (EV) is a type of impedance cardiography, and is a non-invasive and continuously applicable method of cardiac output monitoring. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is non-invasive but discontinuous.Methods We compared EV with TTE in pediatric intensive care patients in a prospective single-center observational s...

Pentalogy of Cantrell (P.o.C.) is a rare congenital midline defect. We present a case and its treatment of P.o.C. with complete ectopia cordis and congenital heart disease. Postnatally the congenital heart defect was surgically corrected and the ectopic heart was covered by musculous mobilized flap. Due to cephalic orientation of the heart and limi...

This is a case report about a boy who was 5 1/2 years old. He presented with cyanosis und clubbing of fingers. In contrast-echocardiography signs of extracardial right-to-left-shunt were found. An angiography was performed which showed multiple pulmonary arterio-venous malformations. These malformations were closed interventionally. Repeated interv...

Cardiovascular pathology, including aortic root dilation at the level of sinus of Valsalva (SV), is one of the major causes of morbidity in paediatric patients with Marfan syndrome (MFS). β-Blocker (BB) is well established to slow aortic dilation in MFS. Less is known about the effectiveness of angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) on aortic dilati...

Purpose: Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a genetic disorder of the connective tissue. Aortic root dilation is a main criterion of the Ghent Nosology. Dural ectasia and the presence of mitral valve prolapse (MVP) contribute to its systemic score. The purpose of this study was to investigate the frequency of dural ectasia and its correlation with cardiovas...

The aim of this study was to characterize cardiac features of patients with neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1) and large deletions of the NF1 gene region. The study participants were 16 patients with large NF1 deletions and 16 age- and sex-matched NF1 patients without such deletions. All the patients were comprehensively characterized clinically and by echo...

This nationwide study aimed to evaluate health-related quality of life (QoL) experienced by children after tetralogy of Fallot repair and to compare self-reported physical ability with objective exercise performance. This prospective nonrandomized, government-funded multicenter study enrolled 168 patients (70 girls; ages 8-16 years) after tetralogy...

Cardiac pathologies are the major aspect in the treatment strategies for Marfan syndrome (MFS). In this progressive disease, less is known about manifestations and progression of cardiovascular symptoms in children. To define a certain decision regarding therapeutic options, knowledge concerning the onset of cardiovascular findings is essential. Fr...

Introduction. Anemia is prevalent in adult heart failure patients and appears to be an independent risk factor for morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this work is to determine the prevalence of anemia in children with heart failure from dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and to evaluate its influence on morbidity and mortality. Methods. A homogenous...

Twelve infants (body weight, 3.59±1.36 kg) with congenital heart disease underwent a clinically indicated cardiovascular computed tomography angiography (CTA) study. Retrospectively, we investigated the feasibility and diagnostic capability of different non-electrocardiogram-triggered CTA protocols and assessed radiation doses. Scans were performed...

Due to age-dependent manifestations, diagnosis of Marfan syndrome (MFS) in children and adolescents is sophisticated. Although revised Ghent criteria is a major step forward, its utility in children is still restricted due to expensive and technically advanced diagnostics. As early diagnosis submits long-term benefits concerning prognosis, the need...

We analyzed early and intermediate outcomes in cyanotic neonates (n = 43) and infants (n = 26) requiring palliation with either a modified Blalock-Taussig shunt (MBT) or a central aortopulmonary shunt (CAP). Between 1995 and 2009, 69 consecutive patients underwent an MBT (n = 42) or CAP (n = 27) for tetralogy of Fallot (n = 21), pulmonary atresia (...

Paclitaxel-eluting balloons are a new and innovative method in the treatment of in-stent stenosis and small vessel disease in adult cardiac pathology. The treatment of congenital pulmonary vein stenosis is difficult to manage, and results in a high mortality rate due to residual or recurrent stenosis. We report the first case of treatment for neona...

With the hypothesis of low thromboembolic risk and higher late postoperative spontaneous closure, a new fenestration technique during extracardiac total cavopulmonary connection was attempted. From 2008 to 2009, 14 consecutive patients received an innominate vein-common atrium 5-mm Gore-Tex (W.L. Gore and Associates, Flagstaff, AZ) graft fenestrati...

During spontaneous circulation, nonspecific inhibition of nitric oxide synthase by N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) increases systemic vascular resistance and, therefore, mean arterial pressure. If this effect can be extrapolated to cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), administering L-NAME during CPR may be beneficial by maintaining or e...

Especially in pediatric patients with severe hypothermia, intraosseous access may be more readily available than intravascular access during an early phase of treatment and therefore, may be helpful to optimize management. The purpose of this study was to determine whether intraosseous blood gases are comparable with arterial, mixed venous, and sag...

Unlabelled: The American Heart Association does not recommend epinephrine for management of hypothermic cardiac arrest if body core temperature is below 30 degrees C. Furthermore, the effects of vasopressin administration during hypothermic cardiac arrest are totally unknown. This study was designed to assess the effects of vasopressin and epineph...

Thesis (doctoral)--Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, 2002.