A Case of Isolated Cardiac Burkitt Lymphoma Causing Right-Sided Heart Failure.

Primary cardiac tumors are rare, as the most common cause of cardiac masses is from metastatic disease. In this article, a unique case of isolated cardiac Burkitt lymphoma causing right-sided heart failure in a 70-year-old man who presented to the emergency department with abdominal distension and lower-extremity swelling is described. The right ventricular mass was initially identified via computed tomographic scans of the abdomen and pelvis. Further workup included transthoracic echocardiogram and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging that showed extension of the mass into the right atrium and pericardium. Staging imaging and bone marrow biopsy revealed no evidence of metastatic disease. Cytology of the peritoneal fluid and biopsy of the right ventricular mass confirmed Burkitt lymphoma. The cardiac mass substantially decreased in size and the right-sided heart failure resolved after the initiation of chemotherapy, which highlights the importance of prompt diagnosis and treatment of Burkitt lymphoma.

Rare silent ischemic ventricular septal aneurysm and rupture: A multimodality diagnostic approach.

A multimodality approach in addition to high level of clinical suspicion and thorough physical examination is important in the diagnosis and management of left ventricular aneurysm and rupture after a silent inferior infarction.

Cardiac Involvement by Burkitt Lymphoma in a 49-Year-Old Man.

Malignant metastases are among the most common cardiac masses. We report a rare case of cardiac involvement by Burkitt lymphoma in a 49-year-old man who presented with a 2-month history of dyspnea and palpitations. A transthoracic echocardiogram revealed 2 intracardiac masses in the right atrium (one of which partially encased the tricuspid valve), myocardial infiltration, and pericardial disease. Results of pleural fluid cytology and flow cytometry confirmed involvement by Burkitt lymphoma. Subsequent chemotherapy markedly reduced the intracardiac tumor burden and resolved the patient's presenting symptoms. Our case highlights the importance of cardiac imaging in diagnosing systemic illness, initiating early and appropriate treatment, and monitoring disease progression in patients with intracardiac Burkitt lymphoma.

Multivessel Traumatic Coronary Artery Dissection After a Motor Vehicle Accident With Successful Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Coronary artery dissection is a rare complication of blunt chest wall trauma. We report a case of acute left anterior descending and right coronary artery dissections after a motor vehicle accident. The musculoskeletal injuries obscured the cardiac symptoms. Electrocardiogram and bedside echocardiogram revealed cardiac pathology, which prompted urgent coronary angiography and intervention. (Level of Difficulty: Advanced.).

Reversible Cerebral Vasoconstriction Syndrome Associated with Coronary Artery Vasospasm.

Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome is a rare disorder associated with neurologic symptoms secondary to diffuse cerebral vasospasm. Cardiac involvement in this disease is exceedingly rare. A 50-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital for evaluation of chest pain. During a 3-year period, she had been admitted multiple times because of chest pain and elevated serum cardiac enzymes. Transthoracic echocardiograms showed transient wall-motion abnormalities; however, coronary angiograms revealed no coronary artery disease. At the current admission, she had a thunderclap headache, and cerebral angiograms revealed diffuse cerebral vasoconstriction that improved after verapamil infusion, confirming the diagnosis of reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome. The patient was treated successfully with oral diltiazem and had no recurrence of symptoms. We describe what we think is the first reported case of coronary artery spasm in association with reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome. Future research should be focused on identifying treatment options and defining the mechanisms by which the cerebral and coronary vasculature are affected.

Recurrent Biatrial Myxoma in a 41-Year-Old Woman after Left Atrial Myxoma Resection.

Bilateral recurrence of atrial myxoma has been reported only a few times. We describe the case of a 41-year-old woman who had undergone left atrial myxoma resection and presented 9 years later with myxomas in both atria. The patient underwent successful resection of both masses with resolution of symptoms. We discuss the phenomenon of recurrent biatrial myxoma.

Inflammatory Pseudotumor Originating from the Right Ventricular Outflow Tract.

Introduction. Inflammatory pseudotumor is an uncommon entity, and its cardiac origin is exceedingly rare. Case History. A previously healthy 27-year-old man was found to have a systolic murmur during preemployment screening evaluation. A transthoracic echocardiogram revealed a 4 × 2.5 cm mass originating from the right ventricle (RV) outflow tract extending into the aortic root. A computed tomography guided biopsy confirmed an IgG4-related inflammatory pseudotumor. Patient was started on oral prednisone with subsequent reduction in mass size. Conclusion. Cardiac inflammatory pseudotumors are markedly rare tumors that should be considered in the differential of intracardiac tumors which otherwise includes cardiac fibromas, myxomas, and sarcomas.

Acute ascending aortic dissection after MDMA/ecstasy use: A case report.

Acute aortic dissection is rare among young patients in the absence of connective tissue disorders. One of the risk factors associated with aortic dissection among young patients is amphetamine use. We report a case of a 37-year-old female with a past medical history of hypertension presenting with syncope and altered mental status who was found to have an acute DeBakey Type I aortic dissection after ingestion of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), commonly known as ecstasy. This is the second case in the literature describing aortic dissection in relation to MDMA use. In both cases, the patients were young and had no history of connective tissue disorders or underlying valvular abnormalities. In this case, echocardiography was used to establish the diagnosis early. A transthoracic echocardiogram revealed a possible dissection flap prolapsing in through a normal aortic valve. Subsequently, a transesophageal echocardiogram revealed wide-open aortic regurgitation with several proximal dissection flaps from a normal caliber ascending aorta prolapsing into a normal tricuspid aortic valve. A high index of suspicion is necessary to diagnose and treat aortic dissection in young patients with a history of MDMA use. LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Recognize MDMA as a risk factor for acute aortic dissection, especially among younger patients with whom clinicians may not often associate aortic dissection.

Amyloid heart disease. New frontiers and insights in pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management.

Amyloidosis comprises a unique group of diseases that share in common the extracellular deposition of insoluble fibrillar proteins in organs and tissues. Cardiovascular amyloidosis can be primary, a part of systemic amyloidosis, or a result of chronic systemic diseases elsewhere in the body. The most common presentations are congestive heart failure-mainly a restrictive infiltrative pattern--and conduction system disturbances. Recent developments in imaging techniques and extracardiac tissue sampling have minimized the need for invasive endomyocardial biopsy for amyloidosis. Despite advances in treatment, the prognosis for patients with amyloidosis is still poor and depends on the underlying disease type. Herein, we present new insights and recent advances in cardiovascular amyloidosis.

ANA-Negative Lupus Presenting with Heart Failure and Severe Valvular Dysfunction: Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Antinuclear antibody (ANA) negative lupus is an important subset of the systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) disease spectrum. Since the introduction of human cell line for ANA assay, the occurrence of true ANA-negative SLE has been a rare clinical phenomenon. The nature of cardiac involvement in ANA-negative SLE is not well understood, although any cardiac involvement, including valvular dysfunction, should be considered as a presenting manifestation of SLE irrespective of serology status. Early recognition and intervention appears to be associated with decreased morbidity. The following report describes our first case of ANA-negative SLE with an initial presentation of severe cardiac valvular dysfunction and heart failure. It also characterizes the spectrum of disease severity in ANA-negative SLE and demonstrates how aggressive SLE therapy can improve cardiac disease.

Isolated perforation of left coronary cusp after blunt chest trauma.

Left coronary cusp perforation is an extremely rare consequence of blunt chest trauma. A 22-year-old male presented after a motor vehicle accident with dyspnea. Transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) and transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) showed moderate to severe aortic regurgitation with prolapsing right coronary cusp. In the operating room he was found to have a left coronary cusp tear near the annulus and an enlarged right cusp. The patient recovered well after successful aortic valve replacement with a mechanical valve. Traumatic aortic regurgitation with left cusp perforation is serious and surgical intervention may be lifesaving if performed timely.

Left atrial thrombus mimicking a myxoma in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Atrial masses are uncommon, and mainly consist of tumors, vegetations and thrombi. Despite the availability of several imaging modalities, it may still be difficult to distinguish between them. Atrial thrombi seen in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) usually occur in the setting of anti-phospholipid antibody syndrome, which confers a hypercoagulable state. We report a case of left atrial thrombus mimicking a myxoma in a patient with SLE but negative anti-phospholipid antibodies.

Post-operative intrapericardial hematoma presenting as isolated right atrial tamponade.

A 57-year-old male underwent mechanical mitral valve replacement for severe mitral regurgitation of a prolapsed myxomatous mitral valve. The patient's post-operative recovery period was uneventful until the eighth day when he decompensated into pulseless electrical activity arrest. A bedside transthoracic echocardiogram revealed a large, smooth-edged mass nearly obliterating the right atrial cavity. Color Doppler demonstrated flow within the right atrium around the mass. After computed tomography scan showed that an intrapericardial hematoma was extrinsically compressing the right atrium, the patient underwent emergent mediastinal exploration with evacuation of 700 ml of coagulated blood. The patient made a full recovery. .