A case series of patients with left ventricular assist devices and concomitant mechanical heart valves.

Mechanical heart valves left in situ at the time of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation are thought to potentially increase the risk of thromboembolism. Recommendations exist to replace dysfunctional mechanical mitral valves and any mechanical aortic valves at the time of LVAD implantation. Due to potential increases in cardiopulmonary bypass time and associated comorbidities with valve replacement, leaving a functional mechanical valve in place at LVAD implantation has been suggested to be a safe option. We retrospectively reviewed all patients with prior mechanical mitral or aortic valves undergoing LVAD implantation at our center between 2012 and 2017. Echocardiograms were read by a single cardiologist to assess for mechanical valve dysfunction. We identified 15 patients. Five patients had major bleeding requiring transfusion. On follow-up, 2 patients had hemorrhagic stroke and 2 had transient ischemic attach/ischemic stroke. In addition, 2 patients had LVAD thrombosis and 2 patients had LVAD driveline malfunction. Mild mechanical valve regurgitation was identified on follow-up echocardiograms of 2 patients. Rate of complications in patients with mechanical valves undergoing LVAD implantation was comparable to that reported for the general LVAD population. Leaving a functional mechanical valve in place at the time of LVAD implantation could be a reasonable alternative to valve replacement. More data are required to further guide patient care in these individuals.

Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation use in staged combined heart-kidney transplant.

Outside of heart and lung transplantation, only few cases have been reported describing venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) use in solid organ transplantation. We present a case of a staged combined heart-kidney transplant in which VA-ECMO was utilized after a complicated orthotopic heart transplantation to successfully complete the subsequent renal transplantation.

Pulmonary Hypertension in a Patient With Congenital Heart Defects and Heterotaxy Syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Heterotaxy syndrome, also called isomerism, is a condition in which abdominal and thoracic organs are located in abnormal body positions. Pulmonary hypertension (PHTN) is an uncommon clinical feature of heterotaxy syndrome. CASE REPORT: We describe the case of a 26-year-old male who developed PHTN as a rare manifestation of heterotaxy syndrome. To our knowledge, PHTN has never been reported as a prominent clinical feature in a patient with heterotaxy syndome and congenital cardiac abnormalities. CONCLUSION: It is important for the clinician to be aware of potentially serious consequences of PHTN in the setting of heterotaxy syndrome.

In Search for Equilibrium: Immunosuppression Versus Opportunistic Infection.

Post-transplant immunosuppression is necessary to prevent organ rejection. Immunosuppression itself can introduce complications arising from opportunistic infections. We present a case of disseminated blastomycosis manifested only as a skin lesion in an asymptomatic patient post-orthotopic heart transplantation. A 64-year-old female who had recently undergone orthotopic heart transplant for end-stage ischemic cardiomyopathy presented for a scheduled routine cardiac biopsy. The patient had no current complaints other than a crusted plaque noticed at her nasal tip. It initially manifested 6 months after surgery as a pimple that she repeatedly tried to manipulate resulting in redness and crust formation. Her immunosuppressive and prophylactic medications included: mycophenolate, tacrolimus, prednisone, bactrim, acyclovir, valganciclovir, pyrimethamine/sulfadiazine, and fluconazole. On physical examination, she was flushed, with a large and exquisitely tender crusted necrotic lesion involving almost the entire half of the nose anteriorly, the left forehead and right side of the neck. She had decreased air entry over the right lung field as well. A computed tomography (CT) image of the chest was ordered to investigate this concerning physical exam finding in the post-transplant state of this patient on immunosuppressive therapy. Chest CT revealed bilateral nodular pulmonary infiltrates with confluence in the posterior right upper lobe. Blood cultures for aerobic and anerobic organisms were negative. Both excisional biopsy of the nasal cutaneous ulcer and bronchial biopsy demonstrated numerous fungal yeast forms morphologically consistent with Blastomyces. Cultures of both specimens grew Blastomyces dermatitidis, with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) superinfection of the nose. She received 14 days of intravenous (IV) amphotericin B for disseminated blastomycosis and 7 days of IV vancomycin for MRSA. Her symptoms and cutaneous lesions improved and she received maintenance itraconazole treatment for 1 year. This case illustrates a delicate balance that must be struck between suppressing the immune response to prevent graft rejection and avoiding over-immunosuppression that can lead to susceptibility to infection. Thus, in any post-transplant patient, a vigorous history and physical must be performed given that infections may present without symptoms and cause grave consequences.

ST segment elevation in one lead: a case report.

BACKGROUND: We describe an unusual finding in an electrocardiogram showing ST-segment elevation not related to coronary artery stenosis, pericarditis, bundle branch block, or other well known disorders. CASE PRESENTATION: A 60-year-old African American woman admitted for elective coronary artery bypass graft surgery. A temporary pacemaker with pacing wires was placed intraoperatively for prevention and treatment of postoperative bradyarrhythmia. One day following uneventful surgery, her electrocardiogram demonstrated marked ST segment elevation confined to lead V(6). These changes were comparable to tracings obtained from direct epicardial electrocardiogram, due to contact between the V(6) electrode and the temporary pacemaker ventricular lead wire. CONCLUSION: Current-of-injury patterns are represented on surface electrocardiogram by deviations of the ST segment from the isoelectric baseline. The pacing wire causes direct localized epicardial current-of-injury, affecting the action potential and the resting membrane potentials of cardiomyocytes. Our case report demonstrates epicardial current-of-injury pattern obtained via surface rather than epicardial electrocardiogram, with surface leads as surrogates of epicardial tracing. Measurement of ST-segment shifts from the epicardial electrocardiogram has been shown to provide a more sensitive measurement of ischemia when compared to surface precordial ECG.

Coronary embolus complicating peripartum cardiomyopathy.

Peripartum cardiomyopathy is a rare disorder in which heart failure occurs during the last month of pregnancy or within 5 months of delivery, in the absence of any other etiology or prior heart disease. We present the case of a 42-year-old woman with peripartum cardiomyopathy. She was admitted with an acute myocardial infarction. Multiple mobile ventricular thrombi were seen in the echocardiogram. Coronary angiogram showed consequential coronary embolus occluding the left anterior descending artery. A successful embolectomy was performed followed by coronary stenting. There have been only two reports in the medical literature of coronary embolic events in the setting of peripartum cardiomyopathy; however, to our knowledge, we believe our case is the first to describe coronary intervention as treatment for the event.

Double-valve Libman-Sacks endocarditis causing ventricular fibrillation cardiac arrest.

Libman-Sacks endocarditis is a well-known and rather common cardiac manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus. Transesophageal and transthoracic echocardiography are the definitive imaging methods used to evaluate cardiac valvular involvement in this disease. Valvular masses (vegetations) and valvular thickening are 2 common morphologic echocardiographic patterns. Libman-Sacks lesions are typically characterized by single-valve involvement and their small size of 1 to 4 mm.Herein, we present the unusual case of a 22-year-old woman with newly diagnosed systemic lupus erythematosus who had large, sterile vegetations of Libman-Sacks endocarditis that involved the mitral and aortic valves. This compromised coronary blood flow and resulted in ventricular fibrillation cardiac arrest. The vegetations were surgically excised, and the patient's cardiac function recovered. We discuss the treatment of the patient and that of Libman-Sacks endocarditis.

Anomalous origin of right coronary artery from pulmonary artery and severe mitral regurgitation due to myxomatous mitral valve disease: a case report and literature review.

Anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ARCAPA) is an uncommon congenital coronary artery anomaly. In contrast to anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA), most of the patients with ARCAPA remain asymptomatic. However, few cases of angina, heart failure and sudden cardiac death depicting the malignant nature of the disease are described in the literature. We report an unusual case of ARCAPA with severe mitral valve regurgitation and pulmonary hypertension. Echocardiography and angiography were utilized for the diagnosis. Surgical correction was provided to our patient and should be considered for all patients with this potentially fatal disease.

Hyperkalemia-induced Brugada pattern: an unusual manifestation.

The Brugada syndrome is a well-known genetic disease comprising a distinct electrocardiographic pattern with a high risk for cardiac arrest. The Brugada electrocardiographic pattern has, however, been observed in other clinical conditions. We describe a case of hyperkalemia presenting a Brugada type I pattern in the absence of typical electrocardiographic manifestations seen in hyperkalemia.

Low incidence of neurologic events during long-term support with the HeartMate XVE left ventricular assist device.

Neurologic events during left ventricular assist device (LVAD) support are associated with significant morbidity and death. To evaluate this problem, we analyzed neurocognitive function and the frequency and incidence of neurologic events in 21 consecutive patients who were undergoing long-term support with the HeartMate XVE LVAD (Thoratec Corporation; Pleasanton, Calif). The mean duration of LVAD support was 531 days (range, 55-1, 309 d); the cumulative support time was 11,188 days (30.7 yr). No patients received anticoagulant therapy, and most received aspirin. None experienced strokes or transient ischemic attacks. Twenty patients were discharged from the hospital; 2 were later readmitted because of transient changes in neurologic status (metabolic encephalopathy) that ultimately resolved. Neurologic function, as measured by the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and the Modified Rankin Score (MRS), was abnormal before LVAD implantation but normal 6 and 12 months after (mean NIHSS, 23.6 before vs 0 after; mean MRS, 0.68 before vs 0.18 after). Neurocognitive function, as evaluated by the Boston Naming Test, Trail Making Test part B, and Block Design Test, also improved during LVAD support. Together, these findings indicate that few neurologic events occur during long-term HeartMate XVE LVAD support in the absence of anticoagulation therapy. They also suggest that modifications made to the HeartMate LVAD since the REMATCH trial have resulted in fewer complications, and that better patient selection and supportive care have improved outcomes.

Home discharge experience with the Thoratec TLC-II portable driver.

With the growing success and expanded use of ventricular assist devices, home discharge with independent ambulation and self-care are now important issues. We describe our initial home discharge experience with the Thoratec TLC-II portable drive. Patients discharged home were required to have five outpatient excursions (three monitored) before discharge and were seen weekly after discharge. Between August 2000 and December 2004, 14 patients (average age, 57 years) were placed on the TLC-II portable driver. One patient on the TLC-II portable driver had left ventricular assist device removal after 50 days of support but before discharge. Thirteen patients were discharged from the hospital with average time at home of 62 days (range, 16 to 243 days). After discharge, the TLC-II portable driver was maintained in the auto mode at average settings of 78 beat rate, 5.1 L/min flow rate, 204 mm Hg ejection pressure, and -8.4 mm Hg fill vacuum. A total of 5852 alarms (average, 6.7 per day) were recorded with 2373 battery reminders (41%), 1922 occlusion alarms during sleep (33%), and 1461 no-fill signals (25%). There were no readmissions for device malfunction, emergency battery utilization or back-up unit use. These results demonstrate that the Thoratec TLC-II portable driver is safe, reliable, and can be effectively managed at home.