Outcomes Of The Arterial Switch Operation: A Multi-centre Study
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$86,733.00
Summary
The arterial switch operation is the surgery of choice for children born with transposition of the great arteries, a congenital heart defect where the main two vessels of the heart arise from wrong pumping chambers of the heart. There are very few studies looking at adults after this operation. We aim to study all patients who have had an arterial switch. The results of this study will further increase our knowledge of the long term consequences of having the arterial switch operation.
Assessment And Prediction Of Blood Flow Dynamics In Congenital Aortic Abnormalities Using Image-based Computer Modelling And Wave Intensity Analysis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$390,925.00
Summary
Severe aortic abnormality is a serious problem in many infants with congenital heart disease, but it is often unclear what type of treatment will optimise blood flow and minimise the risk of later complications. This study aims to harness recent developments in blood flow modelling, magnetic resonance imaging and advanced blood flow analysis techniques to determine the factors that lead to complications in these children, thereby providing crucial information for improving treatment strategies.
Congenital aortic stenosis is a life-long condition caused by a narrowing of the aortic valve. It accounts for 2-6% of congenital heart disease, and if left untreated, results in heart failure and death. While several surgical and non-surgical interventions are available, the ideal treatment for this condition is unclear. My research aims to evaluate outcomes of aortic valve repair and compare it to other techniques.
Surgical Management Of The Pulmonary Circulation In Children
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$114,328.00
Summary
Congenital disorders of the lung circulation are rare. These children often present during infancy with symptoms of heart failure and require surgery to correct these defects. Without surgery, the prognosis of these conditions are poor. Our understanding of these conditions are limited. The proposed study aims to review all patients who underwent surgical repair of abnormalities of lung arteries and veins at the Royal Children’s Hospital.
Does Remote Ischemic Preconditioning Induce Protective Mitochondrial Function In Congenital Heart Defect Repair Surgery?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$142,759.00
Summary
The body's own protective mechanism against injury due to reduced blood flow (ischemic preconditioning) has been studied for over 2 decades, yet the clinical benefits have not been realised until recently . We have previously shown that this innate protection can be induced without drugs in children having heart surgery. We will extend these findings to determine the mechanism of protection, develop a method to monitor this in blood cells and see if this is related to post-operative outcomes.
I am investigating several areas relating to Paediatric surgery in particular the quality and coverage of paediatric surgical trials. The context for this study is to evaluate the current state of paediatric surgical research for methodological rigour, aiming to establish an evidence base and agenda for future trials to improve outcomes in paediatric surgery. The project will involve epidemiological methodology studies and systematic reviews, data linkage and analysis of existing study datasets.
Human RIPC-derived Regulatory Molecules For Cardioprotection Against Ischemic And Cardiopulmonary Bypass Injury
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$642,083.00
Summary
Our previous work indicates that evoked human blood borne factors confer protection against injury, due to loss of blood flow in heart muscle, when a brief stress is remotely applied to a limb (remote ischemic preconditioning). We have identified these proteins that appear to activate genetic and metabolic regulation of adaptive cell survival processes. We will now test their individual and combined capacity, efficiency and mechanisms of protection in the heart using cell and clinical models.
A Systematic Evaluation Of The Neurosurgical Application Of Peri-operative And Intra-operative MR Tractography In Different Paediatric Disease States
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$130,910.00
Summary
My research investigates changes in brain nerve fibre tracts/white matter in paediatric disease states and changes related to surgery by using nerve fibre tract imaging before, during and after surgery. It will also generate an imaging atlas to help understand white matter pathway development. It then serves as normative comparison to better understand aberrations in diseased neural pathways. The outcome will aid understanding in brain development, recovery and plasticity, and helps improve whit ....My research investigates changes in brain nerve fibre tracts/white matter in paediatric disease states and changes related to surgery by using nerve fibre tract imaging before, during and after surgery. It will also generate an imaging atlas to help understand white matter pathway development. It then serves as normative comparison to better understand aberrations in diseased neural pathways. The outcome will aid understanding in brain development, recovery and plasticity, and helps improve white matter lesion localisation.Read moreRead less
Improving The Long-term Outcomes Of The Australian And New Zealand Fontan Population
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$89,836.00
Summary
The Fontan procedure is the last of a series of operations offered to children born with hearts with a single pumping chamber. Without this procedure these children would die, however, with this procedure their long-term expectations are still uncertain. This study will investigate the long-term outcomes of the Australian and New Zealand Fontan population and how these outcomes can be improved.
Upscaling Cardiac Tissue Engineering: Differentiation Of IPS Cells, Enrichment And Bionic Approaches
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$709,758.00
Summary
Stem cell therapies to repair heart muscle are experimental methods which promise future clinical treatments. Our tissue engineering chamber model provides a protective environment for implanted cells and generates contracting heart tissue. Towards clinical application we will scale up the tissue volume produced by: improving cell supply with new stem cell technologies, design chambers for bulk cell implantation, adopt a bionic approach to cell pacing and apply the model into larger animals.