Large pectoral haematoma post-transradial catheterisation: an unusual but avoidable complication.

Large pectoral haematoma is an extremely rare complication of transradial catheterisation. Branch or main vessel injury due to luminal passage of guidewires and catheters may lead to bleeding and haematoma formation at adjacent sites along the vessel track. We present a 53-year-old post-transradial catheterisation patient, who complained of chest pain due to right axillary artery branch perforation causing haematoma, which was emergently managed by embolisation with autologous coagulated blood.

An unconventional valvuloplasty: severe pulmonary stenosis with 'candy cane' inferior vena cava.

Femoral vein is the usual approach to balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty (BPV). However, alternative access may be mandated in some peculiar situations. We hereby report a 10-year-old patient with symptomatic severe valvular pulmonary stenosis with interrupted inferior vena cava which was successfully treated with transjugular BPV. Technical considerations for this approach as well as other possible options for such patients are discussed.

Correlation of corrected QT interval with quantitative cardiac troponin-I levels and its prognostic role in Non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: Non-ST-elevation Myocardial Infarction (NSTEMI) subgroup of ACS has wide variability in patient prognosis. Risk stratification in NSTE-ACS is essential for deciding about early management. Corrected QT interval estimation is one tool which has utility in bedside risk stratification. Whether it differentiates NSTEMI patients into different risk groups is the contention of this study. OBJECTIVE: To assess (1) correlation between maximum corrected QT interval (QTc) and cardiac Troponin I (cTnI) levels; (2) if prolonged corrected QT interval is an independent predictor of higher MACE in NSTEMI patients. METHODS: We prospectively studied 301 NSTEMI patients. cTnI level and QTc were measured at 0, 12, 24 and 48h post-admission. Patients were followed for 30days post-discharge for incidence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) defined as composite of cardiac death, non-fatal MI and urgent revascularization. We assessed correlation between cTnI level and maximum QTc value. Regression analysis was performed to identify independent predictors of MACE. RESULTS: We found a strong positive linear correlation between maximum QTc interval and cTnI level with a correlation coefficient of 0.637 (p<0.001). Cut-off value of QTc>468ms predicted poor prognosis in form of MACE with 72% sensitivity and 61% specificity. Multivariate analysis revealed that after adjusting for different prognostic variables, TIMI score>2 and QTc>468ms, were the only independent predictors of MACE. CONCLUSION: QTc-max interval has a strong positive linear correlation with cTnI level. Prolonged QTc has utility as an independent high risk predictor in NSTEMI population.

"Double Ball Valve Mechanism Obstructing Both Right Ventricular Inflow and Outflow": Atypical Presentation of Right Atrial Myxoma Presenting as Right Ventricular Mass.

Large intracavitary masses such as those occupying most of a cardiac chamber and obstructing blood flow are not routinely encountered in clinical practice. The differential diagnosis includes neoplastic as well as nonneoplastic causes. Primary cardiac tumors by themselves are uncommon. We hereby report a rare case of a middle-aged female presenting with New York Heart Association Class III symptoms, whose transthoracic echocardiogram revealed a huge mass in right-sided chambers with a novel double ball valve type movement. She successfully underwent urgent surgical resection of the mass with histopathological confirmation of diagnosis.