Cardiology Commons^™

Port Catheter Fracture: A Silent Intrusion Into The Right Ventricle, Sanya Chandna, Saumya Nanda, Ankit Agrawal, Kavin Raj, Umesh Bhagat, Keerthana Jyotheeswara Pillai, Suryansh Bajaj

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Central venous port-a-catheters play a pivotal role in various medical procedures, yet they are associated with a spectrum of complications. Catheter fracture with cardiac migration is a rare complication, occurring in less than 1% of patients. Although not very common, it can cause severe issues, necessitating fragment removal. We present a case of spontaneous mediport fracture and migration in a patient with a history of Hodgkin's lymphoma and prior chemotherapy. He presented with nausea, vomiting, and tachycardia. Further evaluation revealed elevated total leukocyte count and labs consistent with diabetic ketoacidosis. He was diagnosed with new-onset diabetes mellitus. Imaging studies confirmed …

Off-Pump Coronary Surgery Combined With Aortic Valve Replacement Under Hypothermic Circulatory Arrest Within An Unexpected Porcelain Aorta, Abdelkader Boukhmis, Khaled Khacha, Djouaher Yacine

Journal of the Saudi Heart Association

Unexpected porcelain aorta is a real challenge to safely completing aortic valve replacement combined with coronary artery surgery. This condition often leads to an aborted sternotomy in the hope of performing transcatheter procedures, the feasibility of which may be hampered by anatomical considerations. We report the case of a 71- year old man with history of hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney disease, which was referred for severe aortic valve stenosis and severe coronary artery disease. He benefited from an anaortic off-pump coronary surgery and clampless aortic valve replacement under hypothermic circulatory arrest to overcome an unexpected porcelain …

Management Of Macrovascular Diabetic Complications: A Single-Center Case Series Analysis Of Consecutively Attending Patients In Primary Care, Sanda Maria Crețoiu, Mihaela Adela Iancu, Laura Maria Condur, Teodor Salmen, Andreea Steriu, Ana Maria Alexandra Stănescu, Irina Anca Eremia, Cristina Mihaela Olariu, Eliza Elena Cinteză, Camelia Cristina Diaconu

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Introduction. The prevalence of diabetes mellitus is increasing, with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) being a major health priority for any public health system. Increased arterial stiffness in patients with diabetes will lead to the appearance of vascular complications. Increased arterial stiffness in patients with diabetes usually leads to vascular complications. Any earlier diagnosis of impaired macrovascular evidence may lead to improved outcomes in patient care. The objective of our study was to assess and evaluate the finger-toe pulse wave velocity (ftPWV), as a measure of arterial stiffness, in order to assist with early detection of macrovascular diabetic complications. Materials and …

Venous Thrombosis Associated With Pancreatic Cancer, Vlad Buică, Camelia Diaconu, Octavian Andronic

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Introduction. Cancer-associated thrombosis is a significant prognostic marker in pancreatic neoplasia, with a venous thromboembolism incidence of 17-34%. This study focuses on cancer-associated thrombosis risk factors, screening scores, and treatment options. Materials and Methods. Comprehensive database searches were conducted across Web of Science, PubMed, Reaxys, ScienceDirect, and Scopus. Results. Of the 37 articles reviewed, findings include splanchnic vein thrombosis correlating with pancreatic complications and survival rates. Gender differences in cancer-associated thrombosis risk were inconclusive, while African Americans showed a higher incidence of pulmonary embolism. Various cancer-associated thrombosis staging scores were evaluated, with ONKOTEV score outperforming Khorana. Direct oral anticoagulants were …

An Unusual Case Of Cardiogenic Shock: Coronary Artery Vasospasms, Amanda Bergeron, Maks Mihalj

Journal of Shock and Hemodynamics

Coronary artery vasospasms may occur in one or multiple coronary arteries, typically causing transient chest pain or angina. Although rare, it can lead to lethal cardiac arrhythmias, cardiac arrest, or cardiogenic shock and is often misdiagnosed. We report a case of a young man with an atypical presentation of generalized coronary vasospasm leading to cardiac arrest and subsequent cardiogenic shock. The patient required support with veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and Impella. We discuss the risk factors, diagnosis, and treatment of this rare condition.

“This Ekg Is Concerning For Ischemia!”, Muhammad M. Zafar

Transformative Medicine (T-Med)

No abstract provided.

New Onset Dyspnea In A Patient With Pacemaker, What Does The Ecg Tracing Show?, Jakob Nypaver, Robert Libera Do, Arun Kundra, Ravi Choxi

Transformative Medicine (T-Med)

Dual chamber pacemakers are programmed to allow for AV synchrony. Whenever a patient with a dual chamber pacemaker with underlying sinus rhythm presents with AV dissociation, the lack of AV synchrony should be questioned. The authors present a case of new onset dyspnea diagnosed as pacemaker syndrome. The diagnosis was initially delayed due to underlying ventricular paced rhythm as misidentified as normal pacemaker behavior.

A 69-year-old female with a past medical history of 2:1 atrioventricular block status post dual-chamber pacemaker implant presented with complaints of new onset shortness of breath and dyspnea. The ECG showed a ventricular rate of 66 …

Highlights Of The 2023 Brano Heart Failure Forum, Bela Merkely, Rajko Radovancevic, Bojan Vrtovec, Igor D. Gregoric

The VAD Journal

Since 2007, the Branislav “Brano” Radovancevic Heart Failure Forum (BHFF) has been held annually to provide a venue for experts to present and discuss “Innovations and New Treatment Strategies in Heart Failure.” Clinicians and researchers gather yearly in a different Eastern European city to discuss the latest in heart failure diagnostics and therapeutics. The 2023 BHHF forum was held on the 13^th thru 15^th of September 2023 in Budapest, Hungary. It was attended by over 100 faculty from 16 countries. In addition, participation through online streaming was available. Throughout the forum, 16 sessions focused on challenges and solutions …

Aorto-Superior Vena Cava Fistula Secondary To Ascending Aortic Dissection, Talal Al-Assil, Aiden Michael Van Loo, Bakri Kaakeh, Bashar Al Jayyousi, Rania Esteitie

Journal of Shock and Hemodynamics

Aortic fistulas are a rare condition that can be fatal if not detected early. They can occur spontaneously or after trauma or vascular procedures. The most common aortic fistulas occur with the esophagus, intestines, atrium, and bronchi. Aorto-superior vena cava (SVC) fistulas are exceedingly rare finding. We present a patient with a dissected aortic pseudoaneurysm complicated by an aorto-SVC fistula, leading to left-to-right shunting. This caused increased pulmonary blood flow, left ventricular volume overload, and eventual high-output heart failure. This is a unique case of an aorto-SVC fistula as a complication of subacute/chronic ascending aortic dissection in a patient who …

Risk Factors For Neurological Complications And Short-Term Outcomes After Pediatric Heart Surgery: A Retrospective Analysis, ​​Muhammad ​ Shahzad, ​Yasser Abdulrhman ​ Alheraish, ​​Bushra ​ Algethami, Linah Abdulmohsen Algheryafi, Salma Kamel, Rawan Ghunaim, ​​Zohair Yousef ​ Alhalees

Journal of the Saudi Heart Association

Objective: To assess the risk factors associated with neurological complications and poor short-term outcomes following pediatric heart surgery.

Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a cardiac intensive care unit between June 2019 and June 2022. The data of all children less than 15 years old who underwent open-heart surgery and had CT brain were extracted from hospital records. The primary outcome was the incidence of CNS insult, and secondary outcomes included death after surgery, length of stay in ICU and hospital. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 23, and a p-value less than or equal to 0.05 was …

Clinical And Procedural Characteristics Of Successful Transcatheter Device Closure Of Ostium Secundum Atrial Septal Defect In Symptomatic Children Weighing Less Than 15 Kg: A Retrospective Study Spanning One Decade From South India, Shobhit Priyanshu Joseph, Mirza Shohiab Ur Riyaz, Jesu Krupa, Shruti Irene Varghese, Gayathri Bhuvaneswaran Kartha, Oommen K. George, Paul V. George, John Jose, Viji Samuel Thomson

Journal of the Saudi Heart Association

Objectives: This retrospective study sought to determine the feasibility of transcatheter atrial septal defect device closure in patients less than 15 kg, as well as to assess complication rates and the reasons for unsuccessful device closure.

Background: In general, the risks associated with transcatheter atrial septal defect device closure are believed and reported to be relatively low, but the evidence stems from trials involving adults and older children. Current guidelines do not recommend atrial defect closure in device closure in children < 15kg, due to limited data available for feasibility and safety of device closure in this group of patients.

Methods: Retrospective review of all patients who underwent elective transcatheter closure of ostium secundum atrial septal defect between September …

Mid-Term Clinical And Hemodynamic Outcomes In Middle Age Patients Post Trifecta™ (Abbott) Aortic Valve Replacement: A Single-Center Study, Feras H. Khaliel, Mohammed Suliman Al Aboud, Suha A. Althibait, Saber Yezli, Elaf A Al Muaythir, Bandar Alamro, Domenico Galzerano

Journal of the Saudi Heart Association

Background: Trifecta™ is an externally wrapped bovine pericardial aortic valve with a favorable hemodynamic performance and acceptable rate of freedom from structural valve degeneration. However, recent reports of early Trifecta valve failure question its durability. Rheumatic valve disease in middle age population is predominant, there is no data on the Trifecta performance, durability or safety available worldwide over the middle age population, as well as there is no previous reports from Middle East region. We report on mid-term clinical and hemodynamic performance of Trifecta valve in middle age population with small aortic annuls, a single centre report. Methods: A retrospective …

Percutaneous Coronary Intervention In Unprotected Left Main Coronary Artery Stenosis Patients. A Retrospective Study From Palestine, Yunis Daralammouri, Hamza Hamayel, Raya Yassin, Ameer Kittaneh, Aya Asaly, Zaher Nazzal, Yahya Ismail

Palestinian Medical and Pharmaceutical Journal

Objective: The study aimed to assess the results of stenting in unprotected left main coronary artery disease (uLMCAD) at a tertiary hospital center. Methods: We assessed all patients who received stenting for uLMCAD, including stable patients who underwent elective, urgent, or emergent procedures. Data were gathered by reviewing hospital records and coronary angiograms and calculating SYNTAX scores. Patient follow-up was conducted via clinic visits and phone calls. Results: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) was performed on seventy patients with uLMCAD, all of whom had successful revascularization. During their hospital stay, only one patient (1.4%) died from a noncardiac cause and no …

What Did We Learn About Vads In 2023?, Maya Guglin

The VAD Journal

This is our 10^th annual literature review on mechanical circulatory support (MCS) devices. All of our previous reports were well received by the readers.^1-9

In this paper, we summarized the most interesting and important, from our standpoint, publications from 2023. There may be some slight overlap with the end of 2022, because some papers were published online first, and the year of publication changed when they became available in print.

For the seventh time this year, we wrote a section on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), which primarily addresses new developments in veno-arterial ECMO.

Readers who wish to supplement …

Covid-19-Associated Myocarditis: Screening For Early Diagnosis, Yousuf Khan, Salmman Ahmed, Samuel John Wlasowicz, Ronald G. Lott Iii, Xavier C. Zonna

Advances in Clinical Medical Research and Healthcare Delivery

The SARS-CoV-2 virus (causing COVID-19), has infected about 770 million people, and caused the death of about 6.9 million people worldwide in the span of three years (John Hopkins Resource Center). Common symptoms of a patient infected with the virus include shortness of breath, fever, chills, fatigue, loss of taste or smell, and muscle aches. However, recent studies have also shown a prevalence of patients presenting with cardiac inflammation (endocarditis, myocarditis or pericarditis) as a potential comorbidity, both during the infectious stage as well as after the infection has subsided. A pattern of specific clinical markers may be indicative of …

Late Cardiotoxicity From The Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor, Dasatinib: Pleural Effusions, Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension, And Right Heart Failure, Mark Jay Zucker, Andrew M. Zucker

The VAD Journal

Despite the remarkable progress made over the past few decades in the management of patients with both solid and hematologic malignancies, radiation- and chemotherapy-related cardiotoxicity remains an ongoing problem. This is true even for newer highly targeted therapies, including tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). This report presents a case of late/severe right heart dysfunction secondary to pulmonary hypertension, developed after ten years of therapy with dasatinib. We also review the history of this known, but often unrecognized, and potentially reversible complication, and we suggest treatment options. Additionally, this case highlights the remarkable effectiveness of TKIs in patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia …

Recent Studies In The Surgical Treatment Of Tetralogy Of Fallot, Emma C. Gardner

Mako: NSU Undergraduate Student Journal

No abstract provided.

A Case Of Occlusive Myocardial Infarction Caused By Nephrotic Syndrome In A 26-Year-Old Type 1 Diabetic, Kyle Admire, Charlotta Jornlid, Chelsea Ryan, Rebecca Pauly

Marshall Journal of Medicine

Nephrotic syndrome is a rare condition distinguished by proteinuria exceeding 3g per day. Other associated characteristics include hematuria, hypoalbuminemia, edema, and hyperlipidemia. There is an array of complications of this syndrome, which are primarily due to the profound losses of protein in the urine. One such complication is thromboembolism, with most documented cases in the form of venous thromboembolism of the extremities which is in part due to urinary loss of antithrombin III and increased synthesis of prothrombotic factors. There are limited available data regarding arterial thrombi and especially few reports about coronary thromboses, which can be life-threatening. In this …

Management Of Cryptogenic Stroke Secondary To Large Asd With Percutaneous Occluder Device And Antiplatelet Drugs., Riya Gupta, Naveed Iqbal

Marshall Journal of Medicine

Atrial septal defects (ASD) represent the most common congenital heart disease diagnosed in adult population and can present with variable clinical findings. Recent literature emphasizes the importance of management of ASD especially if it is associated with structural right heart changes such as RV dysfunction, right ventricular enlargement, arrythmias or paradoxical embolism.

The decision between medical therapy versus surgical closure of ASD is a common clinical conundrum especially in the setting of cryptogenic stroke.

Ultrasound – An Underutilized Diagnostic Tool For Ventricular Assist Device Driveline Infections, Kristina Krzelj, Tomislav Tokic, Tomislav Kopjar, Maja Cikes, Davor Milicic, Hrvoje Gasparovic

The VAD Journal

Patients with ventricular assist device (VAD) driveline infections (DLI) have reduced quality of life and increased risk of severe complications, such as sepsis, hemorrhagic or ischemic stroke, and wound infections. The management of VAD patients imposes a significant financial burden due to prolonged in-hospital stays, frequent re-admissions, expensive diagnostics, and the need for antibiotic therapy and/or surgical intervention. There is considerable room for improvement in DLI management, particularly in the early detection and treatment stages. Ultrasound, an easily applicable device available in almost every hospital, offers an unrecognized potential for the early detection of DLI. By increasing awareness about the …

Retrograde Type A　Acute Aortic Dissection With Cerebral Malperfusion Six Years After Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair, Hideki Sasaki, Yukihide Numata, Shinji Kamiya, Yoshiaki Sone, Miki Asano

Journal of the Saudi Heart Association

A 59-year-old male with prior thoracic endovascular aortic repair presented with altered mental status. Magnetic resonance imaging showed cerebral infarction, and subsequent computed tomography revealed acute type A aortic dissection and right carotid artery occlusion. He underwent total arch replacement with right carotid artery bypass. After successful intervention, he was transferred to a rehabilitation facility for further improvement.

Systolic Pulmonary Artery Pressure Thresholds Predictive Of Dyspnea On Stress Doppler Echocardiography In Mitral Stenosis, Saléha Lehachi, Fadila Daimellah, Saida Khelil, Zakia Bennoui, Djohar Hannoun, Youcef Laid, Rachid Mechmeche, Mohand Said Issad

Journal of the Saudi Heart Association

Background. On Stress Doppler Echocardiography (SDE) in mitral stenosis, the systolic pulmonary artery pressure (SPAP) threshold at peak exercise recommended by the guidelines as an indication for percutaneous mitral commissurotomy (PMC) used to be 60 mmHg. However, because of the paucity of studies, that threshold has been controversial. The Europeans stopped using the value in 2007, followed by the Americans in 2014.

Objective. Determine SPAP thresholds on SDE at peak exercise and post-exercise predictive of dyspnea as an indication for PMC in mitral stenosis.

Method and results. Three hundred mitral stenosis patients with a mitral valve area (MVA) ≤ 2 …

Characteristics Of Patients Undergoing Electrophysiologic Procedures In A Tertiary Hospital In Saudi Arabia, Abdullah A. Aljammaz, Meshaal K. Alghanim, Ibraheem Altamimi, Mohammed A. Alshwieer, Albaraa Sabbagh, Abdulrahman S. Alsayed, Faisal G. Al-Zahrani, Mohammad F. Almanjomi, Sameer Qutub, Wael A. Alqarawi

Journal of the Saudi Heart Association

Introduction: The electrophysiology field has progressed rapidly over the last 2 decades. No study has examined the characteristics of patients and types of electrophysiology procedures performed in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This is important given our distinctly different demographic composition and health system. As such, we sought to describe the characteristics of consecutive patients presenting for electrophysiology procedures in our tertiary care hospital.

Methods: Data was collected from the electrophysiology database at King Khalid University Hospital for procedures performed between April 2016 and November 2022. Patients’ characteristics were retrieved from the electronic medical record. Procedures were categorized into supraventricular …

Epidemiological, Bacteriological, And Evolutive Features Of Children Hospitalized For Infective Endocarditis In A Tertiary Tunisian Pediatric Department, Houda Ajmi, Rahma Herch, Hela Elghali, Dalel Ben Sliman, Mohamed Ben Rejeb, Sameh Mabrouk, Fadoua Majdoub, Salsabil Nouir, Lamia Tilouche, Abdelhalim Trabelsi, Saoussan Abroug, Jalel Chemli

Journal of the Saudi Heart Association

Background: Infective endocarditis is a rare condition in childhood, and there is limited data on this disease in Tunisia.

Objective: This study aims to analyze the epidemiological profile, bacteriological data, and prognosis of infective endocarditis in children admitted to the pediatric department of a University Hospital in Tunisia.

Methods: We conducted a comparative cross-sectional study in the pediatric department of Sahloul Teaching Hospital in Sousse, a tertiary referral hospital in Tunisia. The study included all children aged ≤ 18 years with infective endocarditis admitted to the tertiary referral center for pediatrics in Sahloul University Hospital from January 1994 to December …

Comparison Of Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (Ppci) Vs. Pharmacoinvasive Strategy As Reperfusion Strategies In Patients With St-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (Stemi), Siu Wai For

Journal of the Hong Kong College of Cardiology

Background – Guidelines recommended primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) as the preferred reperfusion strategy in the treatment of patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). However, PPCI might not be readily available in the real-world situations due to the limitation of resources. A pharmacoinvasive strategy consisting of early thrombolytic therapy followed by PCI was suggested as an alternative reperfusion approach. Prior studies had shown that clinical outcomes of pharmacoinvasive strategy were comparable to PPCI. The purpose of this retrospective study was to assess the outcomes of reperfusion strategies in patients with STEMI in the North Territories East of Hong Kong, comparing …

Reducing Food Scarcity: The Benefits Of Urban Farming, S.A. Claudell, Emilio Mejia

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Urban farming can enhance the lives of communities and help reduce food scarcity. This paper presents a conceptual prototype of an efficient urban farming community that can be scaled for a single apartment building or an entire community across all global geoeconomics regions, including densely populated cities and rural, developing towns and communities. When deployed in coordination with smart crop choices, local farm support, and efficient transportation then the result isn’t just sustainability, but also increasing fresh produce accessibility, optimizing nutritional value, eliminating the use of ‘forever chemicals’, reducing transportation costs, and fostering global environmental benefits.

Imagine Doris, who is …

Lazarus Syndrome After Aortic Aneurysm Repair, Kevyn Niu, Jamie Lee Aldakkour, Charles Huyghues-Despointes, Yizhi Lin

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Introduction

Lazarus syndrome is defined as the spontaneous return of circulation after cessation of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Though there have been multiple cases of Lazarus syndrome documented in the literature, it is a significantly underreported phenomenon with less than 100 cases reported in the literature since the first case in 1982.

Case Presentation

After elective aortic aneurysm repair, an 88-year-old with a do-not-resuscitate directive had cardiac arrest, briefly showing post-mortem respiration and pulse. Despite resuscitation efforts including pharmacological intervention and CPR, he passed away within an hour. This case highlights complexities in end-of-life care and warrants exploration of post-mortem physiological …

Myocardial Protection In High-Risk Cardiopulmonary Bypass Support, Subhasis Chatterjee, Marc R. Moon

Journal of Shock and Hemodynamics

The development of cardioplegia has facilitated complex cardiac surgery and allowed high-risk patients to safely tolerate life-saving procedures. By following the principles of electromechanical arrest, inducing hypothermia, and using adjunctive agents to help mitigate the effects of hypothermia and ischemia reperfusion injury, cardioplegia can be safely induced with various commercially available compositions, which can be delivered by several different surgical techniques. Although many studies have compared these methods, there is little consensus on whether any one method is superior to another. Just as a surgeon may need to modify technique according to individual patient factors, so too must a surgeon …

Ischemic Stroke Revealing Libman-Sacks Endocarditis: A Case Report, Malak Alaoui Yazidi, Fatima Zahra Merzouk, Hajar Rabii, Hicham Benyoussef, Ilham Bensahi, Rachida Habbal

Journal of the Saudi Heart Association

Libman-Sacks endocarditis (LSE) is a characteristic but rare feature of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), which can be found in association with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), exposing the patient to an increased embolism risk, particularly the occurrence of ischemic stroke. We present a case involving a 64-year-old man who was admitted for ischemic stroke accompanied by a fever. Cardiac investigation revealed mitral vegetations along with severe mitral regurgitation. The diagnosis of Libman-Sacks endocarditis associated with SLE and APS was made after a laboratory work-up showing negative blood cultures and positive antibodies. This case underlines the importance of early diagnosis for better management …

Role Of Midodrine On Vasopressor Duration In Patients With Sepsis, Kamah J. Ellena, Jenna L. Combs, Heather M. Draper, Julie J. Belfer

Journal of Shock and Hemodynamics

Existing literature evaluating the off-label use of midodrine has focused primarily on postoperative hypotensive patients requiring a single vasopressor. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of midodrine on vasopressor duration and length of stay in patients receiving vasopressors for sepsis-related hypotension. This is an institutional review board-approved, single-center, retrospective analysis of critically ill patients with hypotension secondary to sepsis who received midodrine and intravenous vasopressors compared to those who received intravenous vasopressors alone. Patients were matched by Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score, suspected source of infection, and presence of bacteremia. One hundred patients were included in …