Single-Operator Left atrial appendage Occlusion utilizing Conscious sedation TEE, Lack of Outpatient pre-imaging, and Same-day Expedited discharge (SOLO-CLOSE): A comparison with conventional approach.

BACKGROUND: Left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) with WATCHMAN currently requires preprocedural imaging, general anesthesia, and inpatient overnight admission. We sought to facilitate simplification of LAAO. AIMS: We describe and compare SOLO-CLOSE (single-operator LAA occlusion utilizing conscious sedation TEE, lack of outpatient pre-imaging, and same-day expedited discharge) with the conventional approach (CA). METHODS: A single-center retrospective analysis of 163 patients undergoing LAAO between January 2017 and April 2022 was conducted. The SOLO-CLOSE protocol was enacted on December 1, 2020. Before this date, we utilized the CA. The primary efficacy endpoint was defined as successful LAAO with ≤5 mm peri-device leak at time of closure. The primary safety endpoint was the composite incidence of all-cause deaths, any cerebrovascular accident (CVA), device embolization, pericardial effusion, or major postprocedure bleeding within 7 days of the index procedure. Procedure times, 7-day readmission rates, and cost analytics were collected as well. RESULTS: Baseline characteristics were similar in both cohorts. Congestive heart failure (37.5% vs. 11.1%) and malignancy (28.8% vs. 12.5%) were higher in SOLO-CLOSE. Median CHA2D2SVASc score was 5 in both cohorts. The primary efficacy endpoint was met 100% in both cohorts. Primary safety endpoint was similar between cohorts (p = 0.078). Mean procedure time was 30 min shorter in SOLO-CLOSE (p < 0.01). Seven-day readmissions for SOLO-CLOSE was zero. After SOLO-CLOSE implementation, there was a 188% increase in positive contribution margin per case. CONCLUSIONS: The SOLO-CLOSE methodology offers similar efficacy and safety when compared to the CA, while improving clinical efficiency, reducing procedural times, and increasing economic benefit.

Left Ventricular Unloading Is Associated With Lower Mortality in Patients With Cardiogenic Shock Treated With Venoarterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: Results From an International, Multicenter Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) is increasingly used to treat cardiogenic shock. However, VA-ECMO might hamper myocardial recovery. The Impella unloads the left ventricle. This study aimed to evaluate whether left ventricular unloading in patients with cardiogenic shock treated with VA-ECMO was associated with lower mortality. METHODS: Data from 686 consecutive patients with cardiogenic shock treated with VA-ECMO with or without left ventricular unloading using an Impella at 16 tertiary care centers in 4 countries were collected. The association between left ventricular unloading and 30-day mortality was assessed by Cox regression models in a 1:1 propensity score-matched cohort. RESULTS: Left ventricular unloading was used in 337 of the 686 patients (49%). After matching, 255 patients with left ventricular unloading were compared with 255 patients without left ventricular unloading. In the matched cohort, left ventricular unloading was associated with lower 30-day mortality (hazard ratio, 0.79 [95% CI, 0.63-0.98]; P=0.03) without differences in various subgroups. Complications occurred more frequently in patients with left ventricular unloading: severe bleeding in 98 (38.4%) versus 45 (17.9%), access site-related ischemia in 55 (21.6%) versus 31 (12.3%), abdominal compartment in 23 (9.4%) versus 9 (3.7%), and renal replacement therapy in 148 (58.5%) versus 99 (39.1%). CONCLUSIONS: In this international, multicenter cohort study, left ventricular unloading was associated with lower mortality in patients with cardiogenic shock treated with VA-ECMO, despite higher complication rates. These findings support use of left ventricular unloading in patients with cardiogenic shock treated with VA-ECMO and call for further validation, ideally in a randomized, controlled trial.

Impact of residual coronary atherosclerosis on transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

OBJECTIVES: This study reports on the clinical effects of complete vs incompletely revascularized coronary artery disease on transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). BACKGROUND: There is a high prevalence of active coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients undergoing TAVR but preemptive revascularization remains controversial. METHODS: Patients were categorized into three cohorts: complete revascularization (CR), incomplete revascularization of a major epicardial artery (IR Major), and incomplete revascularization of a minor epicardial artery only (IR Minor). When feasible, SYNTAX scoring was performed for exploratory analysis. Analyses were performed using Cox proportional hazard models and Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: A total of 323 patients with active CAD were included. Adjusted outcomes showed that patients with IR Major had increased incidence of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) or revascularization compared with those in the CR cohort (HR 3.72, P = 0.048). No difference was noted in all-cause mortality or all-cause readmission rates. Exploratory secondary analysis with residual SYNTAX scores showed a significant interaction between disease burden and AMI/revascularization, as well as all-cause readmission. All-cause mortality remained unaffected based on residual SYNTAX scores. CONCLUSIONS: This is a retrospective single-center study reporting on pre-TAVR revascularization outcomes in patients with active CAD. In this analysis, we found that patients undergoing TAVR benefited from achieving complete revascularization to abate future incidence of AMI/revascularization. Despite this finding, all-cause mortality remained unaffected. Future efforts should focus on the role of functional assessment of the coronaries, as well as the long-term effects of complete revascularization in a larger patient cohort.

Safety of shorter length of hospital stay for patients undergoing minimalist transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

OBJECTIVE: Determine the feasibility and predictors of early discharge after minimalist transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). BACKGROUND: Duration of hospitalization has a direct impact on overall cost of care, but the clinical impact of length of stay (LOS) in patients undergoing minimalist TAVR remains unclear. METHODS: We studied 268 patients who underwent minimalist TAVR. Short LOS (sLOS) was defined as post-procedural LOS ≤ 3 days and observed in 163 patients. Prolonged LOS (pLOS) was observed in 105 patients. Propensity score matching based on 39 variables yielded 54 pairs of patients in each group. We analyzed 30-day mortality, 30-day re-hospitalization and long-term survival data. Multivariate regression models were used to define predictors of sLOS. RESULTS: Thirty-day mortality was 0% versus 5.5% in the sLOS and pLOS groups, respectively (P = 0.08). Incidence of re-hospitalization was higher in pLOS (13% vs. 3.7%). sLOS was associated with lower odds ratio of minor vascular complication (OR 0.1 [95% CI: 0.01, 0.75], P = 0.05), any bleeding (OR 0.35 [95% CI: 0.14, 0.87], P = 0.02), blood transfusion (OR 0.27 [95% CI: 0.08, 0.81], P = 0.02), and new pacemaker implantation (OR 0.23 [95% CI: 0.1, 0.53], P < 0.001). Discharge to home had a significantly higher odd ratio for sLOS (OR 8.67 [95% CI: 3.59, 23.11], P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: In appropriately selected patients, sLOS following minimalist TAVR approach in an experienced and high volume center is feasible and safe. Implementing such a strategy may reduce medical costs with the potential clinical benefit of early re-habilitation for the elderly TAVR population.

Renal Artery Stenosis: Optimal Therapy and Indications for Revascularization.

Atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis (ARAS) is associated with increased cardiovascular risk and overall mortality. Manifestations of ARAS include resistant or malignant hypertension, progressive deterioration of renal function, and cardiac dysfunction syndromes of flash pulmonary edema and angina. Diagnosis rests upon non-invasive studies such as duplex ultrasonography and is confirmed using invasive renal arteriography. Regardless of the severity of ARAS, management of this entity has been a topic of contentious debate. For over two decades, the use of percutaneous revascularization to treat ARAS has been studied with various clinical trials. Though case series seem to demonstrate favorable clinical response to revascularization, the overwhelming majority of randomized clinical trials have not mirrored a robust outcome. In these trials, poor correlation is noted between the reduction of stenosis and the improvement of renovascular hypertension and glomerular filtration rate, and decrease in cardiovascular outcomes and mortality. With dichotomizing results, the explanation for these discrepant findings has been attributed to improper trial design and inappropriate patient selection. An overview of the treatment options available will be provided, with a focus on the methodology and design of clinical trials investigating the efficacy of percutaneous revascularization. Emphasis is placed on appropriate patient selection criteria, which may necessitate the use of hemodynamic lesion assessment and clinical correlation based on individualized care. When clinical equipoise exists between optimal medical therapy and revascularization, the current paradigm supports ongoing medical therapy as the treatment of choice. However, renal artery stenting remains a viable therapeutic option for those who continue to have clinical syndromes consistent with renal hypoperfusion while adequately treated with optimal medical therapy. Despite observational studies suggesting clinical benefit for this specific patient population, there remains a paucity of randomized clinical trial data. Further trials targeting the patients who are inadequately treated with optimal medical therapy need to be undertaken to confirm the efficacy of revascularization.

Hypothyroidism and reversible kidney dysfunction: an essential relationship to recognize.

OBJECTIVE: To report 3 cases of reversible hypothyroidism-induced kidney dysfunction and review the interaction between these commonly encountered, yet seemingly disparate, conditions. METHODS: We describe the clinical course and laboratory and physical findings of 3 patients who presented with kidney dysfunction that improved after initiating thyroid hormone replacement therapy. We also review similar cases in the literature and discuss the pathophysiologic mechanisms. RESULTS: A 68-year-old male presented with classical signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism, including fatigue, confusion, and gait imbalance. Physical exam showed bradycardia, thyromegaly, slow mentation, and cracked, thin skin; he was found to have decreased kidney function. Second, a 42-year-old previously healthy female presented with bilateral hand swelling and elevated serum creatinine with an otherwise unremarkable physical exam. The third patient was a 72-year-old male with advanced heart failure on amiodarone and stage 3 chronic kidney disease who presented with fatigue, acute kidney injury, and lower extremity edema. In all cases, serum creatinine and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) were elevated at presentation (1.4-3.0 mg/dL and 94.1-184 mIU/L respectively), and free thyroxine (T4) was low (undetectable-0.4 ng/dL). The initiation or increased dose of levothyroxine normalized serum creatinine to baseline within 2 to 10 months. CONCLUSION: Hypothyroidism and kidney dysfunction are both commonly encountered clinical entities, but the interplay between the thyroid gland and kidneys may be infrequently recalled, causing the reversible relationship between these 2 disorders to be missed.

Using Coronary Guide Catheters with the Sheath-in-sheath Technique to Retrieve a Micra™ Leadless Pacemaker.

As the prevalence of leadless pacemaker systems increases, identifying various methodologies for retrieval of these devices in certain instances becomes even more paramount. We describe a case demonstrating the utility of a coronary guide catheter as part of an improvised sheath-in-sheath technique for the challenging retrieval of a Micra™ leadless pacing system (Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN, USA).

A Novel Percutaneous Snare-Assisted Manipulation and Repositioning of a ProtekDuo Cannula in a COVID-19 Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.

Venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation [VV-ECMO] has gained increasing notoriety during the COVID-19 pandemic as a salvation therapy for fulminant respiratory failure. Various configurations can present unique challenges in management. For instance, the ProtekDuo cannula is a 29Fr to 31Fr dual-lumen cannula inserted by way of the right internal jugular vein that allows for right atrium to pulmonary artery bypass with an attached oxygenator, essentially resulting in VV-ECMO. Understanding that these different configurations inevitably dictate the types of complications that can arise during the circuit implantation and management is imperative. However, in a hemodynamically unstable patient, time or resources may not permit standard maneuvers for management. In conclusion, we present an innovative, percutaneous approach which allowed the restoration of flow and oxygenation in a decompensating ProtekDuo patient without having to explant/disconnect the circuit or implant a new VV-ECMO circuit.

Complications in patients with cardiogenic shock on veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation therapy: distribution and relevance. Results from an international, multicentre cohort study.

AIMS: Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation therapy (VA-ECMO) restores circulation and tissue oxygenation in cardiogenic shock (CS) patients, but can also lead to complications. This study aimed to quantify VA-ECMO complications and analyse their association with overall survival as well as favourable neurological outcome (cerebral performance categories 1 + 2). METHODS AND RESULTS: All-comer patients with CS treated with VA-ECMO were retrospectively enrolled from 16 centres in four countries (2005-2019). Neurological, bleeding, and ischaemic adverse events (AEs) were considered. From these, typical VA-ECMO complications were identified and analysed separately as device-related complications. n = 501. Overall, 118 were women (24%), median age was 56.0 years, median lactate was 8.1 mmol/L. Acute myocardial infarction caused CS in 289 patients (58%). Thirty-days mortality was 40% (198/501 patients). At least one device-related complication occurred in 252/486 (52%) patients, neurological AEs in 108/469 (23%), bleeding in 192/480 (40%), ischaemic AEs in 123/478 (26%). The 22% of patients with the most AEs accounted for 50% of all AEs. All types of AEs were associated with a worse prognosis. Aside from neurological ones, all AEs and device-related complications were more likely to occur in women; although prediction of AEs outside of neurological AEs was generally poor. CONCLUSION: Therapy and device-related complications occur in half of all patients treated with VA-ECMO and are associated with a worse prognosis. They accumulate in some patients, especially in women. Aside from neurological events, identification of patients at risk is difficult, highlighting the need to establish additional quantitative markers of complication risk to guide VA-ECMO treatment in CS.

Distinctive clinical characteristics according to age and gender in apical ballooning syndrome (takotsubo/stress cardiomyopathy): an analysis focusing on men and young women.

BACKGROUND: Apical ballooning syndrome (ABS) predominantly affects postmenopausal women. There is a paucity of data regarding ABS in men and young women. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical characteristics and outcomes of men and young women (<50 y) to older women (≥50 y). METHODS & RESULTS: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 224 patients and divided them into men (n = 12), young women (n = 12), and older women (n = 200). Older women were further subdivided into those who were and were not on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) at the time of presentation. Men were more likely to present after a physical trigger (100% vs 46%; P = .009), have lower ejection fractions (30.1 ± 8.0% vs 40 ± 13.9%; P = .04), and have greater need for mechanical ventilation (67% vs 17%; P < .0001) compared with older women. Younger women were more likely to have a history of psychiatric disorders (75% vs 24%; P = .0001) at presentation and a higher rate of recurrence (16% vs 3%; P = .017) compared with older women. Of the older women, 15 developed ABS while on chronic HRT. Those without HRT were more likely to require mechanical hemodynamic (7.7% and 0%; P = .002) and ventilatory (18.1% and 0%; P = .017) support compared with older women who were on HRT. CONCLUSIONS: Men appeared to develop ABS as a consequence of a physical trigger, whereas young women had a higher rate of psychiatric comorbidities and a greater propensity for recurrence. Treatment with HRT in older women does not preclude the development of ABS.

Decreased postoperative atrial fibrillation following cardiac transplantation: the significance of autonomic denervation.

BACKGROUND: Endocardial ablation approaches targeting the retroatrial cardiac ganglia to treat atrial fibrillation (AF) have been proposed. However, the potential value using this approach is unknown. Disruption of the autonomic inputs with orthotropic heart transplant (OHT) provides a unique opportunity to study the effects of autonomic innervation on AF genesis and maintenance. We hypothesized that due to denervation, the risk of postoperative AF would be lower following OHT compared to surgical maze even though both groups get isolation of the pulmonary veins. METHODS AND RESULTS: We reviewed 155 OHTs (mean age 52 ± 11 years, 72% males) and used 1:1 age-, sex-, and date-of-surgery-matched two control groups from patients undergoing surgical maze or only coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Using conditional logistic regression we compared the odds of AF within 2 weeks following OHT versus controls. Postoperative AF occurred in 10/155 (6.5%) OHT patients. The conditional odds of postoperative AF were lower for OHT as compared to controls (vs maze: odds ratio [OR] 0.27 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.13-0.57], vs CABG: OR 0.38 [0.17-0.81], P = 0.003; and on additional adjustment for left atrial enlargement, vs maze: OR 0.28 [0.13-0.60], vs CABG: OR 0.14 [0.04-0.47], P = 0.0009). CONCLUSIONS: Risk of postoperative AF is significantly lower with OHT as in comparison to surgical maze. As both surgeries entail isolation of the pulmonary veins but only OHT causes disruption of autonomic innervation, this observation supports a mechanistic role of autonomic nervous system in AF. The benefit of targeting the cardiac autonomic system to treat AF needs further investigation.

Left atrial appendage dysfunction in a patient with premature ventricular contractions - a risk factor for stroke?

A 16-year-old female with ventricular dysfunction and frequent ventricular arrhythmia presented with a cardioembolic stroke. Prior electrophysiology study and ablation was performed for ventricular tachycardia (VT). For remaining ventricular ectopy, the patient was maintained on carvedilol and mexiletine. After one year on this regimen, she presented with an acute stroke. Transesophageal echocardiography revealed no evidence of an intracardiac or ventricular thrombus but demonstrated markedly decreased left atrial appendage (LAA) flow velocity worsened during frequent premature ventricular contractions (PVC). In the absence of atrial fibrillation (AF), the LAA dysfunction was considered secondary to the frequent PVCs and was thought to be the underlying cause for the stroke. We present this case to highlight a potential under recognized association between LAA dysfunction and ventricular arrhythmia, similar to that observed with atrioventricular dyssynchronous pacing.

Acquired Cardiac Dextroposition: A Step in the Right Direction?

Despite tremendous advancements in electrocardiography machine algorithms, accurately diagnosing dextrocardia, pseudodextrocardia, and limb lead reversal remains a serious challenge. We present the case of a patient with acquired cardiac dextroposition, or "pseudodextrocardia," in which the electrocardiography machine algorithm incorrectly interpreted the finding as "dextrocardia vs limb lead reversal." (Level of Difficulty: Advanced.).

Endocarditis of the forgotten valve: vacuum-assisted aspiration (AngioVac) of the eustachian valve: a case report.

Background: Eustachian valve endocarditis (EVE) is a rare entity that traditionally has been treated with antibiotics or surgery, if refractory to antibiotic treatment. Case summary: A 64-year-old man presented with right shoulder pain and new-onset hypoxia. His blood cultures were positive for methicillin-sensitive staphylococcal aureus (MSSA) 1 month ago and he was treated with antibiotics at that time. Blood cultures during this admission were again positive for MSSA. Trans-oesophageal echocardiogram showed a large independently mobile echogenic density consistent with vegetation (3.0 × 1.6 cm) on the eustachian valve (EV). The patient was a poor surgical candidate due to his multiple co-morbidities, and therefore, a non-invasive procedure called AngioVac® was selected. Discussion: In the setting of infective endocarditis refractory to antibiotics, the large-bore percutaneous mechanical aspiration (AngioVac®, AngioDynamics, Latham, NY, USA) system is gaining increasing momentum as the treatment of choice over standard surgical intervention for debulking large vegetations. AngioVac® has provided a minimally invasive and effective measure especially in those unable to tolerate surgery. The novel percutaneous technique is linked to great success in right-sided endocarditis, with the tricuspid valve accounting for a majority of the cases. However, in rare instances, the EV may be involved. To our knowledge, we report the first case of EVE treated with AngioVac®.

Case Report: It's not always about the veins; intervention of bilateral May-Thurner Syndrome secondary to iliac aneurysm.

May-Thurner Syndrome (MTS) remains evasive because of the insidiousness and variable etiologies by which it can manifest. In this study, we examine a unique presentation of MTS resulting from compression of both common iliac veins by a right common iliac artery aneurysm that required complex endovascular venous and arterial intervention.

Single-operator left atrial appendage occlusion utilizing conscious sedation, transoesophageal echocardiography, lack of outpatient pre-imaging, and same-day expedited discharge: a feasibility case series.

Background: Contemporary procedural guidelines for percutaneous left atrial appendage occlusions (LAAO) with the WATCHMAN device often require the utilization of pre-screening imaging, general anaesthesia, intubation, a dedicated intra-procedural echocardiographer, and overnight observation. For these reasons, LAAO with the WATCHMAN is not economically feasible for many hospital systems. Thus, we sought to evaluate a newstrategy for implantation that may provide a more minimalistic and less cumbersome approach to LAAO. Case summary: We describe five cases utilizing single-operator left atrial appendage occlusion utilizing conscious sedation, transoesophageal echocardiography, lack of outpatient pre-imaging, and same-day expedited discharge (SOLO-CLOSE)-a novel single-operator procedural strategy for LAAO that safely foregoes the aforementioned procedural requirements and allows for same-day early discharge. All five patients were observed according to our newly devised SOLO-CLOSE protocol and were safely discharged home the same day. Follow-up transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE) at 45 days and 1 year revealed well-seated and well-anchored devices with no leaks (<5 mm) or device-related thrombi. Discussion: The SOLO-CLOSE series is the first ever documented WATCHMAN strategy that utilizes a single-operator, TEE-guided, nurse-driven conscious sedation protocol that defers pre-screening imaging and allows for same-day discharge. The versatility of this technique allows proceduralists to comfortably achieve successful LAAO despite a wide range of risk profiles. This single-operator technique has potential to become a widely accepted universal approach for non-pharmacological cardioembolic stroke prophylaxis due to its efficacy, safety, simplicity, and presumable cost-effectiveness.

Utilization of WATCHMAN FLX for surgically incomplete left atrial appendage occlusion: a multicentre case series.

Background: In patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation, the vast majority of thrombi originate in the left atrial appendage (LAA). Thus, occluding the LAA significantly reduces one's risk for developing an ischaemic stroke. To date, many different surgical methodologies in LAA occlusion (LAAO)/exclusion have been studied and utilized. Unfortunately, patients are often left with incomplete closure of their LAA, leaving behind residual lobes that continue to allow thrombus formations. With the recent rise in percutaneous approaches and devices such as the WATCHMAN FLX, there have been proven success rates in achieving total closure of the LAA. Reports and investigations regarding the utilization of WATCHMAN FLX devices in patients with surgically incomplete LAAO remain limited. Case summary: We present three cases of patients who had previously undergone surgical exclusion of the LAA yet unfortunately were left with residual LAA that continued to place them at high risk for an ischaemic stroke. Percutaneous LAAO with the WATCHMAN FLX was utilized to successfully achieve complete sealing of the residual lobes in failed LAA surgical closures. Discussion: Our multicentre case series elucidates that an increased risk of stroke due to surgical LAAO failure is a real-world possibility that is likely to be encountered in clinical practice. We demonstrate in this series how the WATCHMAN FLX may provide a feasible and safe method to supplement a surgically incomplete LAAO to allow for improved ischaemic stroke and systemic embolization risk reduction.

Percutaneous endovascular vacuum assisted removal of intracardiac lesions using the AngioVac system: A real-world experience.

The AngioVac© system (AngioDynamics, Latham, NY, USA) is a percutaneous catheter-based approach indicated for the removal of unwanted intravascular material from venous circulation and offers a safe alternative to conventional surgical extraction. This series describes various pathologies that were high risk for surgical management in which AngioVac© proved to be a suitable alternative. Learning objectives: Demonstrate the utility of minimally invasive techniques for removal of unwanted venous material using percutaneous endovascular vacuum assisted aspiration. Formulate a new treatment algorithm in the management of unwanted right-sided material.

Catheter-directed thrombolysis as an emergent intervention for failed vacuum thrombectomy of pulmonary embolism.

Acute pulmonary embolism [PE] in the setting of hemodynamic instability and right ventricular strain is a complex presentation and typically is associated with high mortality rates. Prompt recognition and early intervention are critical to the survival of these patient. In such cases, current guidelines recommend use of systemic thrombolytics, along with as needed cardiopulmonary support. If contraindications are present, mechanical thrombectomy is advised. However, guidelines poorly define the next steps in intervention if mechanical thrombectomy were to fail. We present such a scenario and the methods implored to successful remove clot burden. We add to the literature, use of catheter directed thrombolysis at a designated 2 mg/h rate as a form of emergent intervention in failed mechanical thrombectomy.

To intervene or not to intervene: A case of symptomatic neurocysticercosis complicated by ventriculitis.

Although well described in the current literature, Neurocysticercosis [NCC] remains an enigma when confronted by practitioners. This is in part due to the haphazard nature of the parasitic infection on the central nervous system [CNS]. These include single or multiple anatomic sites of infection, stage of parasitosis, and the resultant inflammatory response. As a result, NCC can present with a complex constellation of symptomatic presentations, making therapeutic regiments highly individualized. Despite intervention, other impediments may arise post-therapy due to the nature of the infection. We present a case of rapidly progressive symptomatic NCC that initially was successfully treated, however would eventually succumb to complications of ventriculitis.