Insights Into the Standard Echocardiographic Views From Multimodality Imaging: Ventricles, Pericardium, Valves, and Atria.

The widespread use of cardiac computed tomography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in patients undergoing echocardiography presents an opportunity to correlate the images side by side. Accordingly, the aim of this report is to review aspects of the standard echocardiographic examination alongside similarly oriented images from the two tomographic imaging modalities. It is hoped that this exercise will enhance understanding of the structures depicted by echocardiography as they relate to other structures in the thorax. In addition to reviewing basic cardiac anatomy, the authors take advantage of these correlations with computed tomography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging to better understand the issue of foreshortening, a common pitfall in transthoracic echocardiography. The authors also highlight an important role that three-dimensional echocardiography can potentially play in the future, especially as advances in image processing permit higher fidelity multiplanar reconstruction images.

Myocarditis following COVID-19 vaccination.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination frequently leads to minor side-effects, that may be more intense after the second dose, but more serious side effects have been reported. We report a case of a 24-year-old man who presented to the hospital with acute substernal chest pain, 4 days after his second COVID-19 Moderna vaccination. Laboratory studies revealed elevated troponins and negative viral serologies. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI) demonstrated edema and delayed gadolinium enhancement of the left ventricle in a midmyocardial and epicardial distribution. The patient was diagnosed with myocarditis following Moderna vaccination. Our case report raises concern that myocarditis is a rare side effect of COVID-19 vaccine. Despite our report, it appears that there is a significantly higher risk of cardiac involvement from COVID-19 infection compared to COVID-19 vaccination.

Recidiva de fístulas perianales post quirúrgicas en la Segunda Cátedra de Clínica Quirúrgica, Hospital de Clínicas, San Lorenzo año 2008-2019 / Recurrence of post-surgical perianal fistulas in the II General Surgery Service of Clinica´s Hospital, San Lorenzo year 2008-2019

Una Fístula Anal es la comunicación anormal entre el conducto anorrectal y la piel. El objetivo central en el tratamiento de la fístula anal es eliminar la fístula y los síntomas, prevenir la recurrencia y preservar la función del esfínter anal. El único tratamiento curativo para las fístulas anales criptogénicas es la cirugía. Se realizó un estudio observacional, descriptivo con componentes analíticos, de corte transversal, con un muestreo no probabilístico de casos consecutivos en pacientes operados de fístulas anales por el Servicio de Coloproctología en la II Cátedra de Clínica Quirúrgica del Hospital de Clínicas San Lorenzo (2008-2019). De un total de 112 pacientes, no existió relación estadísticamente significativa entre el grado de obesidad, las comorbilidades, los distintos síntomas, la complejidad de la fístula ni la región comprometida y la recidiva postquirúrgica. La técnica quirúrgica más empleada fue la fistulotomía en el 75,9% de los casos. Las recidivas se vieron en 6.25% de los pacientes. En nuestra serie el riesgo de obtener una recidiva era 16 veces mayor en las fístulas complejas con relación a las simples (RR = 15,9 para p=0,001) y existió una relación estadísticamente significativa entre el tipo de cirugía realizada y el porcentaje de recidiva post quirúrgica. Las fístulas anales son una entidad nosológica de relevancia, que crea molestias hasta problemas en el desenvolvimiento tanto laboral como social por lo cual debe ser motivo de estudio exhaustivo en nuestro hospital como lo es en el mundo.

An Anal Fistula is an abnormal communication between the anorectal duct and the skin. The central goal of its treating is to eliminate the fistula and symptoms, prevent recurrence, and preserve anal sphincter function. The only curative treatment for cryptogenic anal fistulas is surgery. An observational, descriptive study was carried out with analytical components, cross-sectional, with a non-probabilistic sampling of consecutive cases in patients operated on for anal fistulas by the Coloproctology Service in the II Surgery Department of Clinica´s Hospital of San Lorenzo (2008- 2019). Out of a total of 112 patients, there was no statistically significant relationship between the degree of obesity, comorbidities, different symptoms, the complexity of the fistula or the anal region involved, and the postoperative recurrence. The most used surgical technique was fistulotomy in 75.9% of the cases. Recurrences were seen in 6.25% of the patients. In our series, the risk of obtaining a recurrence was 16 times greater in complex fistulas than in simple ones (RR = 15.9 for p = 0.001) and there was a statistically significant relationship between the type of surgery performed and the percentage of postoperative recurrence. Anal fistulas are a relevant nosological entity, which creates discomfort in both work and social development, which is why it should be the subject of exhaustive study in our hospital as it is in the world.

La integración física, química, biológica y geográfica en el uso de la Medicina Natural y Tradicional / The physical, chemical, biological and geographical integration in the use of Natural and Traditional Medicine

Se valoraron los posibles usos de la Medicina Natural y Tradicional para el tratamiento de diferentes enfermedades, teniendo en cuenta las propiedades de las plantas medicinales desde el punto de vista físico, químico y biológico, así como su localización geográfica. Se utilizaron los métodos análisis-síntesis, inducción-deducción y sistémico estructural. El uso adecuado de plantas medicinales constituye una opción de tratamiento natural que repercute de manera favorable en el mantenimiento y conservación de un buen estado de salud.

Open retrieval of an inferior vena cava filter penetrating into a horseshoe kidney.

Retrievable inferior vena cava filters carry a risk of penetrating into adjacent structures, which may necessitate open retrieval. We report a unique case of a retrievable inferior vena cava filter penetrating into an overlying horseshoe kidney, leading to clinical hematuria. After repeated failed endovascular retrieval, an open approach with associated access challenges was required.

Imaging features of intramural hematoma of the aorta.

Intramural hematoma (IMH) is defined as localized hemorrhage within the aortic wall and is included in the acute aortic syndrome spectrum with aortic dissection and penetrating aortic ulcer. The mortality from IMH is similar to classic aortic dissection (21%). 16% of patients with IMH will evolve to classic aortic dissection over time. Despite this confusion exists regarding the precise definitions and radiologic features of IMH versus penetrating ulcers with mural thrombus and overt aortic dissection.

Two-dimensional assessment of right ventricular function: an echocardiographic-MRI correlative study.

BACKGROUND: While echocardiography is used most frequently to assess right ventricular (RV) function in clinical practice, echocardiography is limited in its ability to provide an accurate measure of RV ejection fraction (RVEF). Hence, quantitative estimation of RV function has proven difficult in clinical practice. OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine which commonly used echocardiographic measures of RV function were most accurate in comparison with an MRI-derived estimate of RVEF. METHODS: We analyzed RV function in 36 patients who had cardiac MRI studies and echocardiograms within a 24 hour period. 2D parameters of RV function-right ventricular fractional area change (RVFAC), tricuspid annular motion (TAM), and transverse fractional shortening (TFS) were obtained from the four-chamber view. RV volumes and EFs were derived from volumetric reconstruction based on endocardial tracing of the RV chamber from the short axis images. Echocardiographic assessment of RV function was correlated with MRI findings. RESULTS: RVFAC measured by echocardiography correlated best with MRI-derived RVEF (r = 0.80, P < 0.001). Neither TAM (r = 0.17; P = 0.30) nor TFC (r = 0.12; p< 0.38) were significantly correlated with RVEF. CONCLUSIONS: RVFAC is the best of commonly utilized echocardiographic 2D measure of RV function and correlated best with MRI-derived RV ejection fraction. CONDENSED ABSTRACT: While echocardiography is used most frequently to assess RV function in clinical practice, echocardiography is limited in its ability to provide an accurate measure of RV ejection fraction (RVEF). Using cardiac MRI, RV fractional area change (RVFAC), determined either by MRI or echocardiography, was found to correlate best with MRI-derived RVEF.