Intracardiac metastasis of a Malignant Mixed Mullerian tumor (MMMT): progressive dyspnoea due to obstruction of the left atrium and the left ventricle without left ventricular dysfunction or primary lung disease.

Malignant Mixed Mullerian tumors (MMMT) are rare gynecological tumors. Even with surgical treatment, chemotherapy, and/or radiotherapy, outcome is poor. MMMTs are known to metastasize to the liver, the abdomen, and the lungs. One case of an ocular metastasis has been reported. In a 61-year-old female patient who had undergone surgical resection of a Mullerian tumor of the uterus 26 months prior to being admitted to our department, we found an obstructing left atrial mass. Histopathologic assessment of this lesion after surgical resection revealed a Mullerian tumor metastasis. Immediately after surgery, the patient was asymptomatic, but was readmitted 4 months later with dyspnoea. Echocardiography and CT revealed new masses in the left atrium and left ventricle. On a literature review, we did not find any description of left atrial and left ventricular occluding metastases of MMMT.

Mechanisms of death in the early postoperative period following coronary artery bypass grafting for acquired heart disease. A clinicopathological study of 32 cases.

OBJECTIVES: A retrospective cardiopathological and clinical study was conducted in order to determine causes of perioperative death following coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Between January 1992 and June 1995, a total of 5749 CABG procedures were performed at the Heart Center Duisburg (Germany). Following the procedures, 218 patients died in hospital (mortality rate 3.8%). Fifty-eight were autopsied at the Institute of Pathology, Bethesda Hospital, Duisburg, and 32 autopsied cases were amenable to our study. Basis for selection was accessibility of clinical and morphological data and a postoperative death within 30 days. METHODS: In each case, morphological analysis of the heart and an evaluation of surgical and clinical data were performed in order to draw a conclusion on the mechanism of death. RESULTS: Using criteria defined by us, the following causes of death were determined: (1) surgical complications (43%); (2) severe coronary artery disease with incomplete revascularization (41%); (3) congestive heart failure (13%); (4) non-cardiac complications (3%). CONCLUSION: Criteria defined in this study may be useful in evaluations of causes of death after open heart surgery and may help to compare results in future series. Determination of the cause of death is important for the cardiac surgeon to reconsider indications and quality of surgical procedure.

[Acute postoperative confusion in heart surgery patients]. / Akute postoperative Verwirrtheit kardiochirurgischer Patienten.

Unlike other countries, Germany does not have data about the incidence of acute confusion following heart surgery. However, the occurrence of acute confusion does extend the hospitalization length by up to 13 days. Thus, this phenomenon is of high relevance for the health profession. This incidence study was performed with the goal to obtain exact information on the incidence rate of acute postoperative confusion after heart surgery (bypass and valve operations) through a multi-center evaluation. The data evaluation took place in the form of a convenient sample survey in three different German clinics specialized in heart surgery. The observation period lasted from the day of surgery up to the fifth postoperative day. In the context of this prospective cohort study, suitable study participants were all patients aged 18 or older who underwent heart surgery between February 1st and April 30th, 2000. At the end, 860 patients were included in the study. A total of 152 patients showed symptoms of acute confusion, meaning a total incidence of 17.4% (confidence interval 14-20%). The occurrence of this phenomenon was not symmetrical. A wide-spread occurrence could be observed particularly at night. Patients aged 81-91 were mainly affected, with an incidence of confusion of 43.5% in this group. The results confirm the clinical importance of this issue and require interdisciplinary approaches for solution.

Different treatment options in chronic coronary artery disease: when is it the time for medical treatment, percutaneous coronary intervention or aortocoronary bypass surgery?

BACKGROUND: 3% to 4% of the population suffers from chronic coronary artery disease (CAD). Primary care physicians, internists, cardiologists, and cardiac surgeons are involved in their long-term care. This article presents a complementary care pathway that integrates two apparently competing treatment options, aortocoronary bypass surgery (ACB) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Together with lifestyle changes and medical therapy, these treatments reduce morbidity and mortality and improve quality of life. METHODS: This article was written by cardiac surgeons and cardiologists on the basis of the current treatment guidelines for coronary artery disease, a selective review of the literature (randomized, controlled trials and registry data), and a process of interdisciplinary consensus building. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Lifestyle changes can reduce cardiovascular risk factors, improve quality of life, and lower cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. They provide additional benefit over and above medical therapy and/or revascularization procedures and should be strongly recommended to all patients. Revascularization is not indicated for patients who are asymptomatic on medical therapy or who have only a small area of myocardial ischemia. With either PCI or ACB, the symptoms of angina pectoris can be markedly improved, or even eliminated. Both of these revascularization procedures should be accompanied by optimized medical treatment. Revascularization is indicated when the area of myocardial ischemia is large, whether or not symptomatic angina is present. ACB is the treatment of choice for 3-vessel disease and/or left main stenosis. For all other constellations of coronary findings, ACB and PCI are equally good therapeutic options. The treating physician should take the patient's expectations into account and present the short- and long-term benefits and drawbacks of each proposed treatment to the patient so that an informed decision can be made.

Impact of prior percutaneous coronary intervention on the outcome of coronary artery bypass surgery: a multicenter analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Do prior percutaneous coronary interventions adversely affect the outcome of subsequent coronary artery bypass grafting? We investigated this effect on a multicenter basis. METHODS: Eight cardiac surgical centers provided outcome data of 37,140 consecutive patients who underwent isolated first-time coronary bypass grafting between January 2000 and December 2005. Twenty-two patient characteristics and outcome variables were retrieved. Three groups of patients were analysed for in-hospital mortality and in-hospital major adverse cardiac events: patients without a previous percutaneous coronary intervention, with 1 previous intervention, and with 2 or more previous percutaneous coronary interventions before bypass grafting. A total of 29,928 patients with complete information for prior percutaneous coronary intervention underwent final analysis. Unadjusted univariate and risk-adjusted multivariate logistic regression analysis as well as computed propensity score matching were performed, based on 14 major risk factors to correct for and minimize selection bias. RESULTS: A total of 10.3% of patients had 1 previous percutaneous coronary intervention, and 3.7% of patients had 2 or more previous interventions. Risk-adjusted multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed a significant association of 2 or more previous percutaneous coronary interventions with in-hospital mortality (odds ratio [OR], 2.0; confidence interval [CI], 1.4-3.0; P = .0005) and major adverse cardiac events (OR, 1.5; CI, 1.2-1.9; P = .0013). After propensity score matching, conditional logistic regression analysis confirmed the results of adjusted analysis. A history of 2 or more previous percutaneous coronary interventions was significantly associated with in-hospital mortality (OR, 1.9; CI, 1.3-2.7; P = .0016) and major adverse cardiac events (OR, 1.5; CI, 1.2-1.9; P = .0019). CONCLUSIONS: Multicenter analysis confirms that a history of multiple previous percutaneous coronary interventions increases in-hospital mortality and the incidence of major adverse cardiac events after subsequent coronary artery bypass grafting. Critical discussion of the treatment strategy in these patients is warranted.

Low-dose oral anticoagulation in patients with mechanical heart valve prostheses: final report from the early self-management anticoagulation trial II.

AIMS: In mechanical heart valve recipients, low-dose international normalized ratio (INR) self-management of oral anticoagulants can reduce the risk of developing thrombo-embolic events and improve long-term survival compared with INR control by a general practitioner. Here, we present data on the safety of low-dose INR self-management. METHODS AND RESULTS: In a prospective, randomized multi-centre trial, 1346 patients with a target INR range of 2.5-4.5 and 1327 patients with a target INR range of 1.8-2.8 for aortic valve recipients and an INR range of 2.5-3.5 for mitral or double valve recipients were followed up for 24 months. The incidence of thrombo-embolic events that required hospital admission was 0.37 and 0.19% per patient year in the conventional and low-dose groups, respectively (P = 0.79). No thrombo-embolic events occurred in the subgroups of patients with mitral or double valve replacement. The incidence of bleeding events that required hospital admission was 1.52 and 1.42%, respectively (P = 0.69). In the majority of patients with bleeding events, INR values were < 3.0. Mortality rate did not differ between the study groups. CONCLUSION: Data demonstrate that low-dose INR self-management does not increase the risk of thrombo-embolic events compared with conventional dose INR self-management. Even in patients with low INR target range, the risk of bleeding events is still higher than the risk of thrombo-embolism.

Low-dose international normalized ratio self-management: a promising tool to achieve low complication rates after mechanical heart valve replacement.

BACKGROUND: International normalized ratio (INR) self-management can significantly reduce INR fluctuations, bleeding, and thromboembolic events compared with INR control managed by general practitioners. However, even patients with INR self-management may have an increased risk of bleeding if their INR value is above 3.5. This study evaluated the compliance, clinical complications, and survival of patients after mechanical heart valve replacement with low-dose INR self-management compared with conventional-dose anticoagulation. METHODS: Group 1 (n = 908) received low-dose anticoagulation with a target INR range of 1.8 to 2.8 for aortic valve replacement and 2.5 to 3.5 for mitral or double valve replacement. Group 2 (n = 910) received conventional-dose anticoagulation with a target INR range of 2.5 to 4.5 for all heart valve prostheses. RESULTS: In groups 1 and 2, 76% and 75% of INR values, respectively, were in the target range. Results did not differ according to schooling and age. The rate of thromboembolic events per patient year was 0.18% in group 1 and 0.40% in group 2 (p = 0.210). The rate of bleeding complications was 0.74% for group 1 and 1.20% for group 2 (p = 0.502). In most patients with clinically relevant bleeding, these complications occurred although their measured INR values were below 3.5. The survival rate did not differ between the study groups (p = 0.495). CONCLUSIONS: Low-dose INR self-management is a promising tool to achieve low hemorrhagic complications without increasing the risk of thromboembolic complications. INR self-management is applicable for all patients in whom permanent anticoagulation therapy is indicated. Even INR values below 3.5 can bear the risk of bleeding complications.