Percutaneous mitral valve treatment.

Over the last decade a multitude of transcatheter technologies, many of them based on surgical mitral repair techniques, are being developed. This manuscript describes some of these technologies based on their mechanism of action.

Early coronary calcification in children and young adults with end-stage renal disease.

Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children and young adults with end-stage renal disease. In our study, we retrospectively analyzed the records of 11 patients who had undergone electron beam computerized tomography in our dialysis unit. Our patients, aged 11 to 24 years (median, 19.3 years) were on dialysis or had functioning grafts. Coronary calcification was observed in seven patients (64%) with a mean calcium score of 273.8 +/- 708 (range 0.8 to 1864) in our study population. We compared clinical characteristics like age, gender, duration of end-stage renal disease, time on hemodialysis, body mass index, and blood pressures between the patients with calcifications (group I) and those with out calcification (group II). We also compared the laboratory data including daily calcium and calcitriol intake, lipid profile, serum calcium and phosphorus levels, calcium/phosphorus products, and serum parathyroid hormone levels in the both groups. The mean daily dose of total calcium, triglyceride level, and calcium/phosphorus products were higher in the calcification group though not statistically significant. The mean daily dose of calcitriol was significantly higher in patients with calcification. Using Spearman multivariate correlation, we found a correlation between the coronary calcium scores and mean daily doses of total calcium and calcitriol (r = .750, P =.008 and r = .869, P = .001, respectively). We conclude that coronary calcification, which is a proven predictor of cardiovascular disease, begins at a very early age and that daily doses of elemental calcium and calcitriol seem to be important factors in our study population.

Measurement of right ventricular volume in human explanted hearts using ultrafast cine computed tomography.

The quantitative measurement of right ventricular (RV) volume has been attempted by a number of methods, including nuclear magnetic resonance imaging, contrast angiography, echocardiography, and radionuclide angiography. All of these methods have limitations. Ultrafast cine computed tomographic (CT) scan is a new technology that may have an important role in on-line ventricular volume measurements. Twelve human explanted hearts, fixed in formalin, were subjected to ultrafast cine CT scans to estimate RV volume. The volumes derived from the CT scans were compared with actual fluid volumes needed to fill the RV volume measurements. All measurements were conducted independently by two observers. Actual RV volumes in the 12 hearts ranged from 29.8 ml to 174.6 ml. A strongly significant correlation between actual volume and CT volume was seen (r = 0.99). Agreement between observers was also seen to be highly significant (r = 0.992). Limitations to accurate in vivo assessment due to bolus injection of contrast medium might include alterations in ventricular pressure change. Similarly, differentiation of the endocardial border with contrast may not be as sharp as that with an air-tissue interface. This study demonstrates that RV volumes can be reliably determined by ultrafast cine CT scans in explanted hearts. On-line systolic and diastolic volumes and thus stroke volume, ejection fraction, etc, can be accurately defined independent of cardiac orientation. This technique offers opportunities to study ventricular function under various conditions.

Accuracy and reproducibility of precordial percussion and palpation for detecting increased left ventricular end-diastolic volume and mass. A comparison of physical findings and ultrafast computed tomography of the heart.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the accuracy and reproducibility of indirect definitive precordial percussion in detecting increased left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV), left ventricular mass (LVM), and left ventricular end-diastolic wall thickness (LVEDWT), and to compare it with palpation of the apical impulse. DESIGN: Descriptive study. SETTING: Hospitals and clinics of a university medical center. PATIENTS: Convenience sample of 103 patients (62 men and 41 women) referred for ultrafast computed tomography (CT) of the heart. INTERVENTIONS: Percussion dullness distance from the midsternal line in the left fourth through sixth intercostal spaces, distance of the apical impulse from the midsternal line, and apical impulse diameter in the left lateral decubitus position were measured on all patients. Measurements of LVEDV, LVM, and LVEDWT were taken using ultrafast CT of the heart. Investigators performing the physical diagnostic maneuvers were blinded to the clinical history and CT results, and investigators performing the CT scans were blinded to physical findings. RESULTS: Percussion dullness distance in the left fifth intercostal space was the best discriminator of LVEDV (receiver operating characteristic [ROC] area, 0.680; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.547 to 0.813), and dullness distance in the left sixth intercostal space was the best discriminator of LVM and LVEDWT (ROC areas, 0.831, 95% CI, 0.674 to 0.988; and 0.849, 95% CI, 0.651 to 0.999, respectively). A percussion dullness distance of greater than 10.5 cm in the left fifth intercostal space detected increased LVEDV or LVM with a sensitivity of 91.3% (95% CI, 70.5% to 98.5%) and a specificity of 30.3% (95% CI, 19.9% to 43.0%). There was moderate concordance between investigators for percussion dullness distance (kappa, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.18 to 0.96). In patients in whom an impulse was palpated, an apical impulse diameter of greater than 3.0 cm in the left lateral decubitus detected increased LVEDV or LVM with a sensitivity of 100% (95% CI, 77.1% to 100%) and a specificity of 40% (95% CI, 23.2% to 59.3%). However, an impulse was palpable in only 53% of cases and showed only slight interobserver reproducibility (kappa, 0.18; 95% CI, 0.0 to 0.58). CONCLUSION: Indirect definitive percussion of the precordium is a sensitive and moderately reproducible maneuver for excluding cardiomegaly due to increased LVEDV or LVM. Although measurement of apical impulse diameter was also sensitive in excluding cardiomegaly, lack of a palpable impulse in many patients and low precision between physicians may limit its utility in clinical practice.