Cardiology Commons^™

A Rare Presentation Of An Acute Type A Aortic Dissection Obscured Due To The Simultaneous Presence Of Acute Pancreatitis, Amrin M. Kharawala, Nirav Brahmbhatt, Huzefa Bhopalwala, Nakeya Dewaswala, Adnan Bhopalwala, Waqas Ghumman, Robert Dean Chait

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Introduction

Acute pancreatitis (AP) and acute aortic dissection (AAD) are medical emergencies that must be promptly recognized to avoid the development of life-threatening complications. Both of these diseases can present with chest or epigastric pain which can radiate to the back, thus, early suspicion based on clinical presentation and risk factors is essential. We present the case of a 56-year-old patient initially diagnosed with AP who was later found to have an AAD.

Clinical Findings

A 56-year-old man with a history of alcohol abuse presented with 1 day of diffuse abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. His lipase was 3,909 U/L …

Cardiac Tamponade On Ecpella: A Case Report Of A Unique Hemodynamic Picture, Naveed Akhtar, Parth Savsani, Maya Guglin, Roopa Rao

The VAD Journal

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is rapidly becoming a preferred therapy for short-term hemodynamic support in cardiogenic shock, along with the use of devices such as Impella (Abiomed, Andover, MA). The two together can create unique hemodynamics resulting in altered presentation of common hemodynamic conditions such as tamponade. We present a case of a patient with fulminant myocarditis requiring veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and Impella support. The patient later developed a pericardial effusion with atypical tamponade physiology which masked the left ventricular systolic function recovery. We further highlight the complex hemodynamics of cardiac tamponade in patients with such mechanical circulatory support and …