Project description:A 25-year-old male patient with a giant right atrium presented with atrial tachycardia. Electroanatomic mapping revealed micro-re-entry from a low-voltage zone in the region of the right atrial appendage. Linear ablations across the low-voltage zone terminated the tachycardia. The remaining right atrial tissue was electrically normal. (Level of Difficulty: Intermediate.).
Project description:In all young and middle-aged patients presenting with symptoms of acute heart failure and new heart murmurs, sinus of Valsalva aneurysm (SVA) rupture should be considered in the differential diagnosis. Most of SVAs rupture into the right side of the heart. Percutaneous closure is a less invasive alternative to surgery. A 25-year-old man presented with shortness of breath New York Heart Association class III of nine months' duration with a progressive course. He had a continuous murmur with maximum intensity over the left sternal border and propagated all over the pericardium. Chest radiographs revealed moderate congestion. Transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiograms with 3D imaging revealed a shunt between the ruptured noncoronary SVA and the right atrium. Percutaneous closure decided; the wire passed from superior vena caca through the ruptured sinus to the aorta. The distal disc of the device deployed in the aorta and the proximal disc in the right atrium. The ruptured aneurysm closed with no more flow to the right atrium. The patient was discharged from the hospital after two days. In conclusion, device closure of ruptured coronary sinus to the right atrium is feasible and safe. Surgery should be reserved for patients with failed device closure. <Learning objective: The feasibility, safety, and technique of transcatheter closure of ruptured noncoronary sinus of Valsalva to the right atrium. The role of transesophageal echocardiography in ruptured sinus of Valsalva diagnosis and guiding the device closure.>.
Project description:BackgroundThree-dimensional electroanatomical mapping is of potential interest in equine cardiology to identify arrhythmia mechanisms, characterise electroanatomical substrates and guide ablation strategies.ObjectivesTo describe three-dimensional electroanatomical mapping in standing horses.Study designResearch methodology, proof of concept study.MethodsFour Standardbred horses (2 geldings, 2 mares, median age 4.5 [4-9] years, mean bodyweight 485 [440-550] kg) were sedated and placed in stocks. Via the jugular vein, a high-density multipolar grid catheter (Advisor™ HD Grid Mapping Catheter with EnSite VelocityTM, Abbott Medical) was used for endocardial mapping of the right atrium. The P-wave on the surface ECG was used as a timing reference for simultaneous local activation time- and bipolar voltage-mapping. For a positional reference a 10-pole catheter (Abbott Medical) was placed in the caudal vena cava.ResultsEndocardial right atrial mapping guided by the three-dimensional mapping system and local electrograms was successfully performed in all four horses. A median of 32719 [25499-65078] points, covering the entire right atrium, were collected. Three-dimensional electroanatomical mapping provided detailed information about activation patterns and electrogram-characteristics of the sinoatrial node, intervenous tubercle and cavotricuspid isthmus. Additionally, transvenous biopsy forceps connected to the mapping system were visualised on screen to guide biopsy collection.Main limitationsThe feasibility of electroanatomical mapping for the left atrium and in larger breeds requires further study.ConclusionsHigh-density three-dimensional electroanatomical mapping of the right atrium is feasible in the standing horse.
Project description:Thin, slender, filament like structure is common finding in right atrium echocardiographically. These structures generally represent embryological remnants like thebasian valve, eustachian valve and chiari network. Apart from these variants, they can also be initial finding of thrombotic process specially in the presence of central venous catheter. Early detection and removing the catheter can prevent further thromboembolism in such cases.
Project description:A 74-year old woman underwent "mini-mitral" valve surgery via a right thoracotomy. The pulmonary artery catheter could not be removed thereafter and was found to be pierced by the atriotomy suture. Removal was performed by percutaneously lacerating the catheter above and below the suture, leaving behind a small segment. (Level of Difficulty: Advanced.).
Project description:An entrapment and breakage of coronary angioplasty catheter during coronary intervention is a rare but serious complication. Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) catheter got entrapped and broken inside the left anterior descending artery (LAD) in a 58-year-old male patient. The whole length of the PTCA catheter was retrieved through an arteriotomy incision in LAD along with reversed saphenous vein graft to LAD, under cardiopulmonary bypass and cardioplegic arrest. We discuss here the various percutaneous retrieval techniques and surgical management of entrapped broken PTCA catheter and also the role of transesophageal echocardiography intraoperatively.
Project description:Echocardiography is the most common routine cardiac imaging method. Nevertheless, only few data about sex-specific reference limits for right atrium (RA) dimensions are available. Transthoracic echocardiographic RA measurements were studied in 9511 participants of the Gutenberg-Health-Study. A reference sample of 1942 cardiovascular healthy subjects without chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was defined. We assessed RA dimensions and sex-specific reference limits were defined using the 95th percentile of the reference sample. Results showed sex-specific differences with larger RA dimensions in men that were attenuated by standardization for body-height. RA-volume was 20.2 ml/m in women (5th-95th: 12.7-30.4 ml/m) and 26.1 ml/m in men (5th-95th: 16.0-40.5 ml/m). Multivariable regressions identified body-mass-index (BMI), coronary artery disease (CAD), chronic heart failure (CHF) and atrial fibrillation (AF) as independent key correlates of RA-volume in both sexes. All-cause mortality after median follow-up-period of 10.7 (9.81/11.6) years was higher in individuals who had RA volume/height outside the 95% reference limit (HR 1.70 [95%CI 1.29-2.23], P = 0.00014)). Based on a large community-based sample, we present sex-specific reference-values for RA dimensions normalized for height. RA-volume varies with BMI, CHF, CAD and AF in both sexes. Individuals with RA-volume outside the reference limit had a 1.7-fold higher mortality than those within reference limits.
Project description:BackgroundNew percutaneous techniques for the management of acute pulmonary embolism (PE) are emerging, but there is lack of data regarding the approach of mobile thrombus in the right chambers, with the added risk of potential thrombus dislodgement that may prevent from mechanical circulatory support devices to be implanted in unstable patients.Case summaryWe present the case of a 65-year-old male with cardiogenic shock of unknown aetiology, severe biventricular dysfunction, and large mobile thrombus in the right atrium. Mechanical circulatory support devices could not be implanted, and current thromboaspiration systems were either too small or not available at that time. However, the patient's condition deteriorated rapidly with thrombus in transit, hence, a novel approach was required: using a deflectable 14 Fr sheath, directional thrombectomy was performed, achieving complete extraction of the thrombi and allowing for circulatory support with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) to be implanted with outstanding results and progressive weaning of all intensive care measures.DiscussionDespite the growing interest in the development of percutaneous strategies for acute PE, there is no evidence-based guidelines regarding the treatment of mobile right heart thrombus. Even though some cases of percutaneous right heart thrombectomy have been reported, it is still a challenging scenario, given the potential risk of thrombus dislodgement and atrial perforation. We describe a novel technique of percutaneous directional thrombectomy in a patient with cardiogenic shock of unknown aetiology and large mobile thrombi in the right atrium as a bridge to ECMO proving to be a feasible alternative to treat thrombus in transit.