Calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) and osteoarthritis (OA) are common diseases in the ageing population and share similar pathogenesis, especially in inflammation. This study aims to discover potential diagnostic and therapeutic targets in patients with CAVD and OA. Three CAVD datasets and one OA dataset were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. We used bioinformatics methods to search for key genes and immune infiltration, and established a ceRNA network. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to verify the expression of candidate genes in human and mice aortic valve tissues. Two key genes obtained, leucine rich repeat containing 15 (LRRC15) and secreted phosphoprotein 1 (SPP1), were further screened using machine learning and verified in human and mice aortic valve tissues. Compared to normal tissues, the infiltration of immune cells in CAVD tissues was significantly higher, and the expressions of LRRC15 and SPP1 were positively correlated with immune cells infiltration. Moreover, the ceRNA network showed extensive regulatory interactions based on LRRC15 and SPP1. The authors' findings identified LRRC15 and SPP1 as hub genes in immunological mechanisms during CAVD and OA initiation and progression, as well as potential targets for drug development.
Total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC) is a rare, cyanotic and critical congenital heart disease where the entire left and right pulmonary veins fail to drain into the left atrium directly. Also, TAPVC-induced tissue hypoxia gradually worsens after birth. Thus, timely surgical repairs are recommended once diagnosed, particularly with pulmonary venous drainage obstruction(s). Nonetheless, in sporadic cases, patients with TAPVC survive to adulthood with no surgical treatment. Herein, we report a 46-year-old female with TAPVC, where the four pulmonary veins drain into to the innominate vein (IV) via the vertical vein. The patient developed palpitations and non-anginal chest pain following routine activities for over three months. The patient had a successful surgical correction with excellent postoperative recovery.
Percutaneous closure of atrial septal defect (ASD) has emerged as a feasible alternative strategy to surgical repair in many cardiac centers worldwide. Occluder recanalization due to device failure is a rare and severe complication that often occurs within weeks to years after ASD closure. We reported a rare ultra-long-term complication of occluder recanalization due to delayed spontaneous perforation of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) membrane of ASD occluder after 18 years of ASD closure. Surgical removal of the faulty device and reconstruction of the atrial septum with a bovine pericardial patch was performed. The patient was discharged and recovered uneventfully without syncope or residual shunt. The cause of this rare complication of spontaneous PVA membrane perforation of the occluder has not been fully detected. To our knowledge, this is the first report about PVA membrane perforation of an occluder that occurred soon after ASD closure.
There are limited cases of heart-lung transplantation (HLT) in children worldwide owing to lack of donors, demanding surgical teamwork, and arduous post-operative management. Post-transplant management difficulties stem from the possible development of several post-operative complications, with infection being a common complication. Intracranial fungal infections are difficult to diagnose and prone to treatment delays because of their relatively insidious onset and atypical clinical presentation. Here, we present a case of a cerebral infection developed 3 months after HLT in a 10-year-old child, showing no positive results on conventional imaging or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examination and culture. On metagenomic next-generation sequencing of the cerebrospinal fluid, the causative organism was finally determined as Aspergillus. After administering 1-year anti-Aspergillus treatment, no recurrence of intracranial fungal infection was noted during the 3-year follow-up. This case illustrates the multifaceted diagnostic techniques for cerebral aspergillosis after HLT and shows the significance of dynamic monitoring of symptoms, such as headache, and of metagenomic sequencing results, trends in intracranial pressure and (1-3)-ß-D-glucan levels for guiding diagnosis and treatment.
Cardiac myxomas, primarily originating from the left atrium, are the most prevalent types of benign cardiac tumors; however, biatrial myxomas are extremely rare. Herein, we present a rare case of a 55-year old male with exertional dyspnea and intermittent chest discomfort due to a giant biatrial mass with concomitant atrial fibrillation and hepatic hemangioma. The giant tumor with its peduncle at the interatrial septum involved both atria; however, bulging through the tricuspid valve to the right ventricle during systole. Hence, excision of the giant cardiac tumor (which grossly composed of three parts: stiff, fleshy, and soft) and Cox-Maze IV procedure was performed with the resected specimen measuring 100 × 80 × 40 mm. The patient who was in a stable condition was discharged home on the 12th post-operative day. Thus, given the excellent post-operative results achieved, surgical treatment in large multi-cavitary benign cardiac tumors is feasible and should be considered a potentially curative therapy.
Interruption of the descending aorta is an extremely rare great vessel malformation. In this report, we describe a very unusual case of a 29-year-old female with a 13-year history of hypertension who was found to have an interruption of the descending aorta when she was hospitalized with a subarachnoid hemorrhage and symptoms of acute paraplegia. We successfully surgically corrected the defect using a Gore-Tex® graft to bypass the aortic interruption. The patient's blood pressure postoperatively returned to normal, and the patient recovered completely from her paraplegia by the time of her 5-month follow-up visit.
Aorta, Thoracic/abnormalities , Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation/methods , Paraplegia/etiology , Subarachnoid Hemorrhage/complications , Vascular Malformations/surgery , Adult , Aorta, Thoracic/surgery , Female , Humans , Paraplegia/surgery , Subarachnoid Hemorrhage/surgery , Vascular Malformations/complications
