Project description:BackgroundCoronary artery fistulas (CAFs) are a rare congenital heart disease. Large fistulas can lead to coronary steal phenomena presenting with angina, heart failure, and in rare cases, cardiogenic shock.Case summaryA 55-year-old woman acutely presented at our heart center with nonhemorrhagic pericardial tamponade and cardiogenic shock. A large CAF of an aneurysmatic right coronary artery to the coronary sinus was diagnosed. Pericardiocentesis was used for initial hemodynamic stabilization. On cardiopulmonary bypass, perforations connecting right coronary artery and coronary sinus were closed via suture.DiscussionIn cases of CAF, cardiogenic shock with pericardial tamponade is usually caused by rupture of an aneurysmatic vessel with successive hemopericardium. In this case, the pericardial tamponade was caused by acute right heart decompensation after long-term right ventricular overload.Take-home messagesIn adult right heart failure, early comprehensive cardiac imaging is essential for diagnosis of rare underlying congenital diseases. Surgical shunt closure can drastically improve symptoms.
Project description:Iatrogenic acute aortic regurgitation (AR) is an uncommon condition, and its presentation as severe AR following coronary angiography or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is exceedingly rare. We report a case of iatrogenic severe AR resulting from aortic valve injury caused by manipulation of the guiding catheter during PCI.
Project description:Reperfusion may cause intramyocardial hemorrhage (IMH) by extravasation of erythrocytes through severely damaged endothelial walls. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the clinical significance of IMH in relation to infarct size, microvascular obstruction (MVO) and function in patients after primary percutaneous intervention. Forty-five patients underwent cardiovascular MR imaging (CMR) 1 week and 4 months after primary stenting for a first acute myocardial infarction. T2-weighted spin-echo imaging (T2W) was used to assess infarct related edema and IMH, and delayed enhancement (DE) was used to assess infarct size and MVO. Cine CMR was used to assess left ventricular volumes and function at baseline and at 4 months follow-up. In 22 (49%) patients, IMH was detected as areas of attenuated signal in the core of the high signal intensity region on T2W images. Patients with IMH had larger infarcts, higher left ventricular volumes and lower ejection fraction. Contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) between hyperintense periphery and the hypo-intense core of the T2W ischemic area correlated to peak CKMB, total infarct size and MVO size. Using univariable analysis, CNR predicted ejection fraction at baseline (beta = -0.62, P = 0.003) and follow-up (beta = -0.84, P < 0.001). However, after multivariable analysis, baseline ejection fraction and presence of MVO were the only parameters that predicted functional changes at follow-up. IMH was found in the majority of patients with MVO after reperfused myocardial infarction. It was closely related to markers of infarct size, MVO and function, but did not have prognostic significance beyond MVO.
Project description:Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are used for many conditions where anticoagulation is needed such as non-valvular atrial fibrillation, deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). These novel agents have become popular since they do not require monitoring of therapeutic levels and there is a lower risk of certain bleeding complications when compared to warfarin. However, the efficacy and side effect profile of these agents have not been widely studied in certain patient cohorts, namely cancer patients and patients on immunomodulators or hormone analogs. We present a case of a patient with a history of malignancy and autoimmune disease who developed pericardial and pleural effusions shortly after initiating apixaban for treatment of a PE. In addition, we aim to increase awareness of the role that the newly available reversal agents for anticoagulants would offer in the acute management of hemorrhagic pericardial and pleural effusions caused by DOACs in patients with and without malignancy.
Project description:Congenital pericardial defect is a rare and usually asymptomatic condition which is classified incomplete or partial. Up to 70% of cases consist of complete absence of left pericardium. The diagnosis may be challenging due to its low frequency and absence of correlation with any specific finding on the clinical examination. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging is the gold standard imaging technique for the diagnosis confirming the absence of pericardium, although other indirect signs may be seen. In partial defects, surgery is the treatment option. We present an incidental finding of total agenesis of the left pericardium in an asymptomatic 16-year-old male diagnosed in a preoperative assessment of a bone fracture.
Project description:BackgroundPericardial and pleural effusion are common findings in patients with cardiac amyloidosis (CA). It is not known, whether effusions correlate with right ventricular (RV) function in these patients. Furthermore, data on the prognostic significance of pleural and pericardial effusion in CA is scarce.MethodsPatients with transthyretin (ATTR) and light chain (AL) CA were included in a clinical registry. All patients underwent transthoracic echocardiography at baseline. The presence of pericardial and pleural effusion was determined in every patient. The clinical endpoint was defined as cardiac death or heart failure hospitalization.ResultsIn total, 143 patients were analysed. Of these, 85 patients were diagnosed with ATTR and 58 patients with AL. Twenty-four patients presented with isolated pericardial effusion and 35 with isolated pleural effusion. In 19 patients, both pericardial and pleural effusion were found and in 65 patients no effusion was present at baseline. The presence of pleural effusion correlated well with poor RV function, measured by global RV free-wall strain (p = 0.007) in patients with AL, but not in ATTR. No such correlation could be found for pericardial effusion in either amyloidosis subtype. Patients with AL presenting with pleural effusion had worse outcomes compared to patients with pericardial effusion alone or no effusion at baseline. In the ATTR group, there was no difference in outcomes according to presence and type of effusion.ConclusionMore than 50% of patients with CA presented with pleural and/or pericardial effusions. While pleural effusion was clearly associated with poor RV function in AL, we were not able to detect this association with pericardial effusion.
Project description:IntroductionDevice entrapment is a life-threatening complication during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, the success for its management is predominantly based on operator experience with limited available guidance in the published literature.MethodsA systematic review was performed on December 2021; we searched PubMed for articles on device entrapment during PCI. In addition, backward snowballing (i.e., review of references from identified articles and pertinent reviews) was employed.ResultsA total of 4209 articles were retrieved, of which 150 studies were included in the synthesis of the data. A methodical algorithmic approach to prevention and management of device entrapment can help to optimize outcomes. The recommended sequence of steps are as follows: (a) pulling, (b) trapping, (c) snaring, (d) plaque modification, (e) telescoping, and (f) surgery.ConclusionsIn-depth knowledge of the techniques and necessary tools can help optimize the likelihood of successful equipment retrieval and minimization of complications.
Project description:ObjectiveThis study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance and procedural characteristics of fluoroscopy-guided percutaneous transthoracic pleural forceps biopsy (PTPFB) in patients with exudative pleural effusion.Materials and methodsPatients with exudative pleural effusion who underwent PTPFB between May 1, 2014, and February 28, 2023, were included in this retrospective study. The interval between percutaneous catheter drainage (PCD) and PTPFB, number of biopsies, procedural time, and procedure-related complications were evaluated. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of diagnosing malignancy were computed for pleural cytology using PCD drainage, PTPFB, and combined PTPFB and pleural cytology.ResultsSeventy-one patients, comprising 50 male and 21 female (mean age, 69.5 ± 15.3 years), were included in this study. The final diagnoses were benign lesions in 48 patients (67.6%) and malignant in 23 patients (32.4%). The overall interval between PCD and biopsy was 2.4 ± 3.7 days. The interval between PCD and biopsy in the group that underwent delayed PTPFB was 5.2 ± 3.9 days. The mean number of biopsies was 4.5 ± 1.3. The mean procedural time was 4.4 ± 2.1 minutes. Minor bleeding complications were reported in one patient (1.4%). The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for pleural cytology, PTPFB, and combined PTPFB and pleural cytology were 47.8% (11/23), 100% (48/48), and 83.1% (59/71), respectively; 65.2% (15/23), 100% (48/48), and 88.7% (63/71), respectively; and 78.3% (18/23), 100% (48/48), and 93.0% (66/71), respectively. The sensitivity and accuracy of cytology combined with PTPFB were significantly higher than those of cytological testing alone (P = 0.008 and 0.001, respectively).ConclusionFluoroscopy-guided PTPFB is an accurate and safe diagnostic technique for patients with exudative pleural effusion, with acceptable diagnostic performance, low complication rates, and reasonable procedural times.
Project description:BackgroundHaemorrhagic pericardial effusion (PE) has been described in pericarditis due to infection, neoplasm, collagen vascular disease, uraemia, pericardial inflammation after acute myocardial infarction, trauma, irradiation, and idiopathic pericarditis. Patients with large haemorrhagic PE develop recurrence or constrictive pericarditis (CP) frequently as complication without being treated intensively.Case summaryA 22-year-old female patient with a previous episode of pericarditis with severe PE was admitted for acute pericarditis. Three days before, she was evaluated at the emergency department and presented normal laboratory workup and no significant findings in the transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE). A new TTE showed severe PE and laboratory work-up showed low haemoglobin levels. Fifteen days later, due to slow evolution, a left anterior mini-thoracotomy pericardial window procedure was performed finding minimal haemorrhagic PE with clots. We performed a complete work-up for a cause without significant findings and treated intensely to prevent recurrence or CP.DiscussionThis is a case of recurrent haemorrhagic PE due to idiopathic pericarditis. Physicians should perform an intensive workup in order to find the cause because of its clinical implications and possible treatments. An intensive treatment must be initiated as soon as possible to prevent recurrence or CP.