1/512. Cardiocutaneous fistula.infection of the Teflon pledgets on the heart suture line after left ventricular aneurysm repair, presenting late with a fistulous tract connecting the heart with the skin (cardiocutaneous fistula) is an uncommon but potentially serious condition. The case is reported of a 73 year old man who developed a cardiocutaneous fistula extending through the left hemidiaphragm and draining at the abdominal wall, which developed six years after left ventricular aneurysmectomy. Following radiographic evaluation, which established the diagnosis, the Teflon pledgets and fistulous tract were successfully surgically removed. Prompt diagnosis depends on a high index of suspicion. Eradication of infection requires excision of infected material, which must be planned on an individual basis.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = heart (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/512. Integrated approach for revascularization in multivessel coronary artery disease and porcelain aorta.We report two cases in which combined beating heart revascularization of the left anterior descending artery (LAD) and percutaneous angioplasty of the non-LAD target arteries were adopted after the intraoperative detection of porcelain aorta and impossibility to complete surgical revascularization. This type of strategy preserves the benefits of surgical LAD grafting and complete revascularization and results in a simple and low-risk technical procedure in an otherwise challenging setting.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.5keywords = heart (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/512. Fatal cardiac beta2-microglobulin amyloidosis in patients on long-term hemodialysis.We report two long-term hemodialysis patients who developed severe congestive heart failure attributable to cardiac heavy amyloid deposition. Both patients became hypotensive during dialysis sessions, gradually making it difficult to continue hemodialysis, and they died of congestive heart failure. At autopsy, left ventricle walls in each case contained diffuse extensive deposits of amyloid. The distribution of amyloid was not localized to vessel walls but was widely disseminated throughout the left ventricle walls and replaced myocardial muscle fibers. Immunohistochemical examination showed positive staining for anti-human beta2-microglobulin antibody. We conclude that cardiac dialysis-related amyloidosis should also be considered in long-term hemodialysis patients with congestive heart failure as a life-threatening complication.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1.5keywords = heart (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/512. Intraoperative left ventricular perforation with false aneurysm formation.Two cases of perforation of the left ventricle during mitral valve replacement are described. In the first case there was perforation at the site of papillary muscle excision and this was recognized and successfully treated. However, a true ventricular aneurysm developed at the repair site. One month after operation rupture of the left ventricle occurred at a second and separate site on the posterior aspect of the atrioventricular ring. This resulted in a false aneurysm which produced a pansystolic murmur mimicking mitral regurgitation. Both the true and the false aneurysm were successfully repaired. In the second case perforation occurred on the posterior aspect of the atrioventricular ring and was successfully repaired. However, a false ventricular aneurysm developed and ruptured into the left atrium producing severe, but silent, mitral regurgitation. This was recognized and successfully repaired. The implications of these cases are discussed.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.030619235149903keywords = murmur (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/512. Transesophageal echocardiography with a single-plane probe. Long-axis views of the heart from the apical (transgastric) approach.The literature suggests that during transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), a short-axis view can be obtained in the gastric position using a single-plane probe. Recently, we have found that a long-axis apical display of the heart can be achieved by placing the tip of the probe in the fundus of the stomach. In a 3-month period, we attempted to obtain this view in 54 consecutive patients. Twelve of the patients had TEE done under general anesthesia, while the other 42 patients had the procedure performed under sedation with midazolam at hospital bedside or as an outpatient. The long-axis transgastric view was obtained in 51 of the 54 patients (94%). The image quality was graded subjectively as good in 39 (72%) and fair in the other 12 patients (22%). This view helped to establish the diagnosis in eight patients (15%) and to increase the level of confidence about the accuracy of the diagnosis in 23 (43%) other patients. Four patients' findings are described. We conclude that the new long-axis transgastric view is easy to obtain, does not add much time to the usual TEE study, does not add to the low complication rate of TEE, and may help to interrogate the distal structures of the heart.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 3keywords = heart (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/512. Intraoperative echocardiography in cardiac emergencies.echocardiography has brought about a new modality of surgical decision making in open heart surgery. Especially in urgent and emergency surgery, echocardiography can provide decisive insight into the underlying pathophysiological processes, improved monitoring of cardiac function, as well as immediate quality control after the procedure. The importance of intraoperative echocardiography for the cardiac surgeon is illustrated in a number of selected case reports.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.5keywords = heart (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/512. Chordal rupture: a common complication of myxomatous degeneration of the mitral valve.In two patients with a clinical picture of acute mitral insufficiency, the presence of chordal rupture secondary to myxomatous degeneration of the mitral valve was disclosed during surgery. There was no evidence of previous rheumatic valvulitis, subacute bacterial endocarditis or other etiologies. It appears from the literature and from the cases described that ruptured chorda tendinea is a not uncommon complication of myxomatous transformation of the mitral valve. While this fact has been mentioned in anatomophological reports, clinicians are less aware of the association. In the absence of supportive evidence for a rheumatic or arteriosclerotic etiology, a clinical picture of acute mitral insufficiency should suggest ruptured chorda tendinea secondary to myxomatous degeneration of the mitral apparatus. This is particularly true in older patients, especially among those followed for a midsystolic click-late systolic murmur or an apical pansystolic murmur of pure mitral regurgitation.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.061238470299807keywords = murmur (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/512. Post-infarction cardiac rupture.Three allied conditions are described in this paper: (i) haemopericardium with cardiac rupture (5 cases); (ii) haemopericardium without rupture (2 cases); (iii) pseudoaneurysm (1 case). In the first 2 of these, the significant features were clinical deterioration with shock 3 or more days after infarction, recurrent cardiac pain, cardiac tamponade, and immediate or later ineffectiveness of counterpulsation. An additional feature in the second group was the development of haemopericardium after heparin therapy. In the third group, infarction followed by left ventricular failure and progressive cardiac enlargement was the significant feature. An apical systolic murmur was not present, as a false sac had not been formed. Ante-mortem diagnosis depends upon an appreciation of these features. Without it successful surgery is impossible. There were 4 survivors in this group of 8 patients.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.030619235149903keywords = murmur (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/512. Young-Simpson syndrome: further delineation of a distinct syndrome with congenital hypothyroidism, congenital heart defects, facial dysmorphism, and mental retardation.Young-Simpson syndrome is a rare congenital disorder, characterized by congenital hypothyroidism, congenital heart defects, facial dysmorphism, cryptorchidism in males, hypotonia, mental retardation, and postnatal growth retardation. We describe the cases of a 5-year-old boy and a 7-year-old girl with a similar constellation of symptoms and compared them with previously reported patients.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 2.5keywords = heart (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/512. Echocardiographic features of an unusual case of aortic valve endocarditis.In a patient with aortic valve endocarditis a myocardial abscess, complete heart block and acute aortic regurgitation developed. echocardiography gave evidence of large aortic valve vegetations, and at operation vegetations were found to have destroyed the right coronary cusp and part of the noncoronary cusp. Following surgery the patient recovered. echocardiography may prove to be a useful noninvasive technique to aid in the timing of surgical therapy in patients with valvular vegetations.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.5keywords = heart (Clic here for more details about this article) |
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