Decrease in acute coronary syndrome presentations during the COVID-19 pandemic in upstate New York.

The COVID-19 virus is a devastating pandemic that has impacted the US healthcare system significantly. More than one study reported a significant decrease in acute coronary syndrome admissions during that pandemic which is still due to unknown reasons. METHODS: This is a retrospective non-controlled multi-centered study of 180 patients (117 males and 63 females) with acute coronary syndrome (STEMI and NSTEMI) admitted during March/April of 2019 and March/April 2020 in Upstate New York. RESULTS: A total of 113 patients (61.9% males, 38.1% females) with a mean age of 72.3 ±â€¯14.2 presented during March/April 2019 with ACS (STEMI + NSTEMI) while only 67 (70.1% males, 29.9% females) COVID-19 negative patients with a mean age of 65.1 ±â€¯14.5 presented during the same period (March/April) in 2020. This is a drop by 40.7% (P < .05) of total ACS cases during the COVID-19 pandemic. In NSTEMI patients, 36.4% presented late (>24 hours of symptoms) during the COVID-19 pandemic in comparison with 2019 (27.1%, P = .033). CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 pandemic led to a substantial drop by 40.7% (P < .05) of total ACS admissions in our area. This decrease in hospital admissions and late presentations can be a worrisome sign for an increase in future complications of myocardial infarctions.

Spontaneous epidural hematoma in a child with inherited factor XIII deficiency.

We report the case of a 2-year-old Lebanese male child, known to have congenital factor XIII (FXIII) deficiency, who presented to the emergency department with somnolence and projectile vomiting without any head trauma. He has been on a prophylactic dose of 10 IU/kg of FXIII concentrate every 4 weeks since birth, but he missed his last 2 doses due to shortage of supply. Imaging studies showed an epidural hematoma with a midline shift. The child was started on 20 IU/kg of FXIII replacement, and a left parietal craniotomy was performed immediately. He tolerated the surgery well with an uneventful postoperative course. Previous DNA analysis carried out for the family members detected a small deletion (c.1475-1476delGA) in exon 12 in this child and his eldest brother. This mutation has been previously reported once in another Lebanese child with FXIII deficiency who presented with spontaneous splenic rupture. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of acute nontraumatic spontaneous epidural hematoma in a child with congenital FXIII deficiency. Furthermore, patients on FXIII replacement therapy have less bleeding events, thus lifelong adherence to the prophylaxis is essential to decrease the morbidities and the mortalities associated with FXIII deficiency, most notably intracranial hemorrhages.

An Extremely Rare Presentation of Four Coronary Anomaly Patterns Originating from the Right Coronary Sinus.

Background: "Coronary anomaly" is defined as the coronary feature or pattern seen in <1% of the population. The most common CAAs are anomalies of origin, specifically having a separate LCX and LAD origin with an incidence of 0.41%. The second most common anomaly is the LCX arising from the RCA (0.37%). Treatment options include CABG, coronary unroofing, reimplantation, or medical therapy. Case Presentation. We present the case of an 85-year-old male who presents with an acute coronary syndrome who was found to have an extremely rare combination of different coronary anomaly patterns including left main coronary artery (LMCA) atresia, small LAD arising posteriorly from the right coronary cusp, anomalous left circumflex artery arising from the RCA, and an anomalous LAD arising from the left circumflex artery which is originating from the RCA. Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report to describe four coronary anomalies in a single patient. When CAAs are diagnosed, it is of utmost importance for cardiologists to do further imaging and workup that might include a stress test to be able to offer patients the best management options.

A Case of Contralateral Pneumothorax, Pneumomediastinum, and Pneumopericardium after Dual-Chamber Pacemaker Implantation.

As permanent pacemaker implantation is increasingly becoming a common practice, it is important to understand potential complications associated with the procedure. We present a 78-year-old Caucasian female who developed contralateral pneumomediastinum, pneumothorax, and pneumopericardium after undergoing implantation of a dual-chamber pacemaker.

Acute Nonatherosclerotic Coronary Thromboembolism Presenting with an Inferior STEMI in a Patient on Oral Contraception.

BACKGROUND: Direct coronary embolism in the setting of oral contraceptive pill (OCP) use is a rare adverse effect. It is known for OCP to increase the risk of thrombosis; however, leading to an inferior ST elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI) due to an acute occlusive embolism is a rare entity. Coronary embolism occurs in about 3% of patients with acute coronary syndrome. Case Report. We present a case of a young 41-year-old female with a past medical history significant for dysfunctional uterine bleeding on oral contraceptive pills, who presented to the hospital with chest pain. Her workup was significant for troponin elevation and an electrocardiogram showing inferior ST elevations. The patient was taken emergently to the cardiac catheterization lab. A coronary angiogram revealed a coronary thrombus involving the distal left main and proximal left anterior descending (LAD) with no evidence of atherosclerotic disease. The patient subsequently received anticoagulation therapy leading to complete resolution of symptoms and ST elevations. CONCLUSION: Coronary embolism is rare and often not considered in the differential of acute coronary syndrome. It is of utmost importance for clinicians to keep a wide differential of nonatherosclerotic causes of STEMI especially when the patient is young, without significant cardiac risk factors.

An Unusual Presentation of ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction Complicated with Cardiogenic Shock Due to Myxedema Coma: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND Myxedema coma is an endocrine emergency with a high mortality rate, defined as a severe hypothyroidism leading to hypotension, bradycardia, decreased mental status, hyponatremia, hypoglycemia, and cardiogenic shock. Although hypothyroidism and cardiac disease has been interlinked, ST elevation myocardial infarction in the setting of myxedema coma have not been reported previously. CASE REPORT We report the case of a 70-year-old man who presented to the Emergency Department with chest pain and confusion. He also reported fatigue for the past week, which was progressively worsening. His past medical history was significant for renal cell carcinoma with metastatic bone disease being treated with chemotherapy (axitinib and pembrolizumab). In the Emergency Department, an ECG revealed inferior ST elevations. Shortly after presentation, the patient's blood pressure was decreasing, he became bradycardic (sinus), and his mental status was getting worse, so he was intubated for airway protection and was taken emergently for a cardiac catheterization, which failed to reveal an acute coronary occlusion. TSH was 60.6 mIU/L (0.465-4.680) mIU/ML, and free T4 0.3 ng/dL (0.8-2.2) ng/dL. The cardiac index was calculated to be 0.8 L/min/m² (normal range 2.6-4.2 L/min/m²), which confirmed cardiogenic shock due to myxedema coma. He was treated with levothyroxine (T4), liothyronine (T3), hydrocortisone, and multiple vasopressors but failed to respond and died 13 h after admission to the hospital. CONCLUSIONS Because of its rarity and high mortality, early diagnosis of myxedema coma and initiation of treatment by cardiologists requires a high level of suspicion, especially when patients with a history of hypothyroidism present with a cardiac complaint (ie, acute coronary syndrome, or bradycardia) that does not completely fit the clinical picture. It is of utmost importance for physicians to keep a wide differential diagnosis of other causes of ST elevation and/or persistent cardiogenic shock.

Cardioform Septal Occluder in the Management of Cardiac Tamponade as a Complication of LAA Closure.

Cardiac tamponade is a life-threatening complication during left atrial appendage (LAA) closure. We report a 77-year-old woman who underwent a transseptal puncture for LAA closure with the Watchman device that was complicated by tamponade. This was successfully treated with the deployment of a Cardioform 25-mm septal occluder device. (Level of Difficulty: Intermediate.).

Sinus Bradycardia as a Rare and Unusual Presentation of Partial Empty Sella Syndrome: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND Empty sella syndrome (ESS) occurs when the pituitary gland becomes flattened or shrinks, which leads to filling of the sella turcica with cerebrospinal fluid. This causes the appearance of empty sella on imaging. ESS is often diagnosed after the workup of pituitary disorders, or as an incidental finding after brain imaging. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report in which ESS was diagnosed after an incidental finding of bradycardia pre-operatively. CASE REPORT We present the case of a 66-year-old man who was admitted electively to undergo a transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion at the level of L5-S1. He was found to be bradycardic pre-operatively. Upon further workup, he was found to have a thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) level of 0.358 uIU/ML (normal range, 0.465-4.680 uIU/ML) and a free thyroxine (FT4) level of 0.8 ng/dL (normal range, 0.8-2.2ng/dL). He also had a history of hypotestosteronemia. He was diagnosed with central hypothyroidism at the time of admission. Subsequently, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the brain was performed, and partial empty sella syndrome was diagnosed. CONCLUSIONS Bradycardia in the setting of empty sella syndrome is a rare condition. It is of utmost importance for clinicians to keep in mind a wide differential that includes other non-cardiac causes for common cardiac symptoms such as bradycardia.

Immediate and long-term results of percutaneous mitral commissurotomy: up to 15 years.

PURPOSE: To evaluate immediate and long-term clinical results of percutaneous mitral commissurotomy (PMC) in patients with severe mitral stenosis. METHODS: In a retrospective study, data were included from 317 patients over 18 years of age (mean age 45) who had been treated for mitral stenosis between January 1993 and March 2015 with PMC using the Inoue balloon technique. Immediate results: Valvular function improved as evidenced by an increase in mitral valve area from 1.01 ± 0.24 cm2 to 2 ± 0.31 cm2 (P < 0.001) and a decrease in mean mitral gradient from 13.64 ± 6.03 mm Hg to 5.40 ± 2.49 mm Hg. Long-term follow-up: At 5-15 years (mean 10.2 years, Inter-quartile range 8.25), 105 (33.1%) of the 317 patients were available for follow-up, 95 living patients and 10 deceased. Of the deceased, average time from PMC to death was 8 years. Results were strongly significant showing that age at the time of PMC and surface area before the procedure were the best predictors of survival at 15 years follow-up, showing significance values of P = 0.022 and P = 0.001, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: PMC using the Inoue balloon technique improves morbidity and long-term mortality rates in patients with severe mitral stenosis. Lower Wilkins score and NYHA class at baseline were not found to be significant predictors of mortality in older patients (age > 45). Overall, 65 (61.9%) had survived at 5-15 years follow-up without further cardiac intervention.

A Large Mitral Valve Vegetation Not Visualized on Transthoracic Echocardiography: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND Immediate evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of a patient with infective endocarditis, an infection of the endocardium and/or integral structures found within the heart, is essential to patient survival. CASE REPORT We present the case of a 41-year-old man who was brought to the Emergency Department for altered mental status and fever. He was found to have methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) bacteremia complicated with severe respiratory failure and metabolic encephalopathy, necessitating intubation and mechanical ventilation. As part of the workup for persistent Staphylococcal bacteremia, 2 transthoracic echocardiograms (TTE) failed to reveal any valvular abnormalities. However, a transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) detected a 30×30 mm large vegetation on the anterior mitral valve leaflet. Due to the overall size and risk of systemic embolization, and the fact that the patient developed new-onset heart failure, the mitral valve was replaced using an open approach. The patient tolerated the procedure well and was discharged after an extended period of hospitalization. CONCLUSIONS Although the literature emphasizes that the sensitivity of TTE significantly increases when the vegetation size is above 1 cm, it is of utmost importance for clinicians to keep in mind that this is not always true, and clinicians should consider performing a TEE to rule out infective endocarditis whenever a TTE is unable to detect any vegetation in a patient with persistent Staphylococcal bacteremia. This is clearly demonstrated by the present case, in which two TTEs failed to detect a 30×30 mm vegetation.

Reversible atrioventricular block and the importance of close follow-up: Two cases of Lyme carditis.

Lyme carditis is an uncommon presentation of the early-disseminated phase of Lyme disease, although it is recognizable and often curable. Because of its rarity, diagnosing Lyme carditis requires a high level of suspicion, especially when young patients in certain endemic areas present with symptoms of bradycardia and/or evidence of high-degree atrioventricular (AV) block. Temporary cardiac pacing along with antibiotic therapy has been shown to aid in the management of Lyme carditis until symptoms and conduction blocks have resolved. Herein, we report two cases of Lyme carditis-induced AV block that were successfully managed and reversed with temporary cardiac pacing and antibiotics. In order to monitor for any late sequela that may arise, we also recommend close follow-up for patients treated for Lyme carditis with high-degree AV block. .

Acute aortoiliac occlusive disease during percutaneous transluminal angioplasty in the setting of ST-elevation myocardial infarction: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Aortoiliac occlusive disease, which is also referred to as Leriche syndrome, is a chronic atherosclerotic occlusive disease that occurs at the level of the aortic bifurcation. It is often thought to present with a triad of clinical symptoms: (1) intermittent lower extremity vascular claudication, (2) impotence, and (3) weak/absent femoral pulses. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of a 47-year-old Caucasian woman who presented with an acute inferior ST-elevation myocardial infarction. During percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, our patient suddenly developed severe bilateral lower extremity pain, absent femoral pulses, and cool extremities. Distal aortogram revealed 95% stenosis with an apple core-like lesion in the mid-abdominal aorta. Stent placement resulted in improved blood flow to the distal aortic segment and resolution of symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of significant peripheral vascular disease, significant cardiac risk factors, and/or difficulty accessing the femoral artery should caution a transfemoral approach during percutaneous transluminal angiography. This approach may precipitate aortoiliac occlusion and/or thromboembolism to the lower extremities. We encourage interventional cardiologists to (1) take extra caution when manipulating the wire and catheter and (2) strongly consider using a transradial approach in such patients.