Relationships between coronary arteries and atrioventricular annuli: surgical and percutaneous implications.

OBJECTIVE: Atrioventricular valve surgery poses a risk of myocardial infarction due to the proximity of the coronary arteries. Percutaneous techniques also present a risk of coronary injury. Our objective was to identify, on the mitral and the tricuspid annuli, the zones of high risk given their proximity to the circumflex artery and the right coronary artery, respectively. METHODS: We dissected the courses of the circumflex artery and the right coronary artery in 25 explanted hearts. The distances were measured at reference points according to a clock-face model. Proximity was "very high", "high", or "relative" for distances of less than 5 mm, between 5 and 10 mm, or more than 10 mm, respectively. RESULTS: The mitral annulus zone of "high" proximity was located between "7:30" and "10:00" (minimum 6.5 mm at "9:30"). The tricuspid annulus zone of "very high" proximity was located between "1:30" and "3:00" (minimum 4.0 mm at "2:00"). The circumflex artery seemed closer to the mitral annulus in the hearts with left coronary dominance (n = 2), emphasizing the importance of the preoperative coronary angiography. CONCLUSIONS: Zones at risk of coronary damage were identified on the mitral and the tricuspid annuli between "7:30" and "10:00", and between "1:30" and "3:00", respectively. Knowing them can help interventionists avoid ischemic complications. Based on an innovative clock-face orientation scheme in which the distance data were collected at multiple reference points on a superimposed template, our study provides an intuitive and detailed overview of the critical distances between valves and arteries.

Exclusion of a submitral pseudoaneurysm by a conservative transmitral approa-Surgical technique for an unusual disease.

Cardiac pseudoaneurysm is a contained rupture of the cardiac wall. Rarely symptomatic, the risk of death by stroke or rupture is high and suggests surgical treatment. Surgical strategy depends on its anatomical considerations. We reported the case of a submitral pseudoaneurysm. We excluded it by a conservative transmitral approach, without any short- and long-term complication.

Renal damage induced by pemetrexed causing drug discontinuation: a case report and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Pemetrexed maintenance therapy holds tremendous potential in improving the survival of patients with advanced pulmonary adenocarcinoma. Major side effects include myelosuppression and cutaneous reactions. However, little data are available on pemetrexed nephrotoxicity. Our case describes clinically relevant renal events leading to treatment discontinuation in routine practice. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of a 69-year-old Moroccan man treated for metastatic non-small cell lung cancer. He was not on any other medications and he did not receive any nephrotoxic agents. He was exposed to intravenously administered contrast from thoracoabdominal computed tomography in the week of his last pemetrexed treatment. He developed kidney disease related to pemetrexed. He was submitted to renal biopsy, which showed acute tubular damage and interstitial fibrosis. His kidney function remained impaired, but stable, after discontinuation of pemetrexed therapy. He died 5 months later. CONCLUSIONS: Medical oncologists should be aware of renal adverse events for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer eligible for pemetrexed maintenance therapy. Suggestions for mitigating the risk for renal toxicities (dehydration, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and zoledronic acid, radiocontrast agents) during pemetrexed maintenance should be followed to enable early detection and management of this adverse event.