Congenital Cardiac Pathology Specimen Curriculum

Audience: Trainees in pediatric or adult congenital cardiology, cardiac surgery, and pathology.

 

Aim: Each month (or quarterly), focus on grouped congenital heart defects and their surgical repairs using digital specimen-based learning, considering relevant anatomy, and facilitating interactive discussions.

 

Instructions: Access each of the Cardioscape specimens, with labels below like BCH27, by following the instructions provided at the bottom of this page.

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Lesson 1 (July): Introduction and Normal Cardiac Anatomy

• Pathological specimen preparation techniques and incisions of cardiac specimens

• Gross anatomy of the normal heart, correlation with normal echocardiography (Models: BCH27, BCH3)

• Normal fetal vs. postnatal circulation (Model: ACH30)

 

Lesson 2 (August): Septal Defects I

• Atrial septal defects (ASD) – types and modes of closure (Models: ACH39, ACH38, ACH40)

• Ventricular septal defects (VSD) – morphology and repair (Models: BCH2, BCH4, BCH5, I-228)

 

Lesson 3 (September): Septal Defects II

• Balanced atrioventricular canal/septal defects (AVC/AVSD) (Models: BCH6, I-451)

• Discuss: One-patch vs. two-patch surgical repair strategies and anatomy

 

Lesson 4 (October): Left-Sided Obstructive Lesions

• *Coarctation of the aorta and interrupted aortic arch (No models available)

• *Shone’s complex and biventricular hypoplastic left heart syndrome (No models available)

• Discuss: Anatomical variants including aortic and mitral stenosis

 

Lesson 5 (November): Right-Sided Obstructive Lesions

• Tetralogy of Fallot, anatomical and pathological variations (BCH31, BCH28, ACH21)

• *Pulmonary Atresia with VSD (Model: ACH15) and without VSD (No models available)

• Discuss: Anatomy involved in surgical repair strategies

 

Lesson 6 (December): Conotruncal Abnormalities Introduction

• Transposition of the great arteries (TGA) (Models: ACH33, ACH34, ACH35, I-133 (TGA+Senning))

• Double outlet right ventricle (DORV) – spectrum of disease (Models: ACH2, ACH3, ACH5, I-95, I-406)

• Common arterial trunk (truncus arteriosus) (Models: BCH68, I-425, ACH12, ACH10)

• Discuss: Focus on morphology and surgical repair

 

Lesson 7 (January): Single Ventricle Physiology & Repair

• Single right ventricle (Models: BCH58, ACH45 (HLHS), BCH65 (DIRV))

• Single left ventricle (Models: BCH59 (TriAtresia-TGA), I-129 (DILV))

• Discuss: Surgical decision-making (Norwood-shunt, Glenn, Fontan)

 

Lesson 8 (February): Individual Preparation for the SITE Examination

• Self-guided review or learner-guided discussion of curriculum for SITE exam

 

Lesson 9 (March): Large Vascular Anomalies

• *Vascular rings (Models: BCH18 (double aortic arch), I-618 (RAA+aberrant L SCA))

• Anomalous pulmonary venous return (Models: BCH42 (Scimitar PAPVR), BCH43 (TAPVR))

• Aortopulmonary window (Model: ACH18)

• Patent ductus arteriosus (Models: ACH18, ACH30)

 

Lesson 10 (April): Complex Cardiac Lesions I

• Ebstein’s anomaly (Models: ACH7, ACH8)

• Tetralogy with absent pulmonary valve (Model: ACH20)

• Discuss: Lesion physiology and surgical repair

 

Lesson 11 (May): Complex Cardiac Lesions II

• AV canal with double outlet right ventricle (AVC+DORV) (Model: I-95)

• *Criss-cross (inferior-superior) ventricles (No model available)

• Discuss: Embryologic origins and special surgical considerations

 

Lesson 12 (June): Final Assessments (Quiz Module)

• Identification of cardiac anatomy on normal and abnormal cardiac specimens

• Epidemiologic/outcome-based multiple choice questions requiring answer using cardiac specimens

• Pairing of surgical strategy description to unlabeled digital pathology specimens

 

 

Instructions:

1. Download, install, &  sign in to Cardioscape for Windows or Mac from www.cardio-scape.com/tech

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2. On the home page of Cardioscape type the relevant specimen code, like BCH27, into the search bar:​