Pectus deformities refers to a relatively common group of conditions affecting the anterior chest wall. These conditions are quite common in children and adolescents with an incidence of up to 1 in 500. There are two main types of pectus deformities, namely pectus excavatum, where the chest sinks inside or pectus carinatum, which appears to…
Cardiovascular patches are commonly used in paediatric cardiac surgery. Patches are used to close holes or to enlarge narrow arteries and valves at the end of open-heart surgery. One of the questions I am asked more commonly by parents of children with congenital cardiac defects is what kind of materials are used for the patches…
Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) – also known as “cot death” – is the sudden, unexplained and unexpected death of an apparently healthy baby. This most commonly occurs between the age of 2 and 4 months. In the UK, just under 300 babies die suddenly and unexpectedly every year. These tragic events are more common in infants…
Pulmonary vein stenosis, particularly affecting the left lower pulmonary vein is sometimes seen following cardiac surgery. The exact mechanism is unknown but enlargement of the heart and rotation of the heart to the left can cause compression on the left lower pulmonary vein at its entrance in the left atrium. Anterolateral displacement of the descending…
“Those who think they have not time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness” Even though it is well known that exercise has a protective effect against cardiovascular diseases, many people find it difficult to build structured exercise in their busy lives. It is often assumed that only high…
As the UK becomes increasingly health-conscious, people are paying more attention to optimising their workout sessions than ever before. Along with protein shakes and bars, sports energy drinks have become an integral part of the gym routine. Indeed, our consumption of them soared from 235 to 600 million litres in the UK between 2006 and…