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Published on: September 13, 2022
How do we treat severely prolapsed true ectopia cordis?
Naoki Masaki1, Hideki Tatewaki1, Takehiko Sanada2
1Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Miyagi Children's Hospital, Sendai, Japan.
Insights
Ectopia cordis, a rare heart malformation, was successfully treated in a complex case. The treatment involved intracardiac repair and delayed sternal closure, offering a new approach for this challenging condition.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Surgery
- Congenital Malformations
- Pediatric Cardiology
Background:
- Ectopia cordis is a rare congenital anomaly with the heart located outside the chest.
- Treatment is complex, particularly with associated congenital heart disease and significant protrusion.
- Surgical outcomes for ectopia cordis remain challenging.
Observation:
- A case of ectopia cordis with congenital heart disease and severe protrusion is presented.
- The patient required a multi-stage surgical approach.
- Intracardiac repair and delayed sternal closure were key components of the treatment.
Findings:
- Successful intracardiac repair of the congenital heart defect was achieved.
- Delayed sternal closure using local skin flaps was performed.
- The combined approach led to a favorable outcome in this complex case.
Implications:
- This case demonstrates a viable strategy for managing complex ectopia cordis.
- The technique of delayed sternal closure may be applicable to similar challenging cases.
- Further research into optimal surgical timing and techniques for ectopia cordis is warranted.
Abstract:
Ectopia cordis is an extremely rare condition where the heart displaces outside the thoracic cavity. Treating this, especially when accompanied by congenital heart diseases and severe protrusion, is challenging. Here, we present a case of successful treatment involving intracardiac repair and delayed sternal closure using local skin flaps.
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