A rare case of giant left sinus of Valsalva aneurysm complicated by thrombus formation.

A rare transthoracic echocardiographic image of left sinus of Valsalva aneurysm complicated by thrombus formation.

Association between Mobility of Residual Left Atrial Thrombus and Stroke Severity in Patients with Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: The differences in the characteristics of ischemic stroke associated with a mobile versus nonmobile residual left atrial thrombus (LAT) are unclear. We investigated whether the mobility of an LAT detected by transthoracic echocardiography is associated with the clinical features of stroke. METHODS: This study included 20 consecutive patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation who were admitted to our hospital for treatment of acute ischemic stroke and then found to have an LAT on transthoracic echocardiography. The patients were divided into two groups: those with a mobile LAT (Group M) and those with a nonmobile LAT (Group N). The clinical, neuroradiological, and echocardiographic variables were assessed. RESULTS: The LAT was mobile in 11 patients (Group M) and nonmobile in nine patients (Group N). The median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score on admission was higher in Group M than N (17 vs. 7, respectively; p=0.196). Four patients in Group M and one in Group N developed in-hospital stroke recurrence (36% vs. 11%, respectively; p=0.319). The prevalence of large vessel occlusion (15 events in Group M and 10 events in Group N, including in-hospital recurrent events) was significantly higher in Group M than N (73% vs. 30%, respectively; p=0.049), which seemed to lead to poorer functional outcomes in Group M than N (ratio of modified Rankin scale score of 0-2 at discharge: 18% vs. 44%, respectively; p=0.336). CONCLUSIONS: The mobility of LAT may affect stroke severity in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation.

Computed tomography imaging-based radiologic evaluation of pulmonary artery thrombosis in a series of patients with Behcet's disease.

AIM: Pulmonary artery involvement is a severe complication of Behcet's disease (BD). Although venous thrombosis is common in BD, pulmonary embolism is considered to be rare because the inflammatory nature makes the thrombi strongly adherent to the venous walls. This study aimed to define the radiological characteristics of pulmonary artery thrombosis (PAT) on computed tomography (CT) imaging in BD patients. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated 165 BD patients with vascular involvement. Among the patients with venous involvement (n = 146), we identified 65 patients who had undergone thorax CT imaging previously. Fourteen patients who were diagnosed with PAT were included in the study. Expert radiologists re-evaluated the patients' initial and control thorax CT scans, classified the PAT as acute or chronic based on their radiological features. RESULTS: The patients' median age was 35 (min-max: 15-60) years at the time of the initial CT scan, and nine were male. Twelve (85.7%) patients were symptomatic at the time of CT evaluation. Upon re-evaluating the thorax CTs, acute PAT was diagnosed in six (42.8%); chronic PAT was detected in eight (57.1%) patients. Two patients with chronic PAT also had acute PAT. Pulmonary artery aneurysms were present in three (21.4%) patients, and intracardiac thrombus was found in three (21.4%) patients. CONCLUSION: A significant number of BD patients with venous involvement had radiological findings consistent with acute PAT potentially due to pulmonary emboli in this study. The clinical importance of these lesions has to be defined with future studies.

Morphology and location of thrombus and sludge in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: Stroke and thromboembolism in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) primarily arise from thrombi or sludge in the left atrial appendage (LAA). Comprehensive insight into the characteristics of these formations is essential for effective risk assessment and management. METHODS: We conducted a single-center retrospective observational of 176 consecutive NVAF patients with confirmed atrial/appendage thrombus or sludge determined by a pre-ablation transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) from December 2017 to April 2019. We obtained clinical and echocardiographic characteristics, including left atrial appendage emptying velocity (LAAeV) and filling velocity (LAAfV). Data analysis focused on identifying the morphology and location of thrombus or sludge. Patients were divided into the solid thrombus and sludge groups, and the correlation between clinical and echocardiographic variables and thrombotic status was analyzed. RESULTS: Morphological classification: In total, thrombi were identified in 78 patients, including 71 (40.3%) mass and 7 (4.0%) lamellar, while sludge was noted in 98 (55.7%). Location classification: 92.3% (72/78) of patients had thrombus confined to the LAA; 3.8% (3/78) had both LA and LAA involvement; 2.7% (2/78) had LA, LAA and RAA extended into the RA, the remained 1.2%(1/78) was isolated to RAA. 98.0% (96/98) of patients had sludge confined to the LAA; the remaining 2.0% (2/98) were present in the atrial septal aneurysm, which protrusion of interatrial septum into the RA. The thrombus and sludge groups showed low LAAeV (19.43 ± 9.59 cm/s) or LAAfV (17.40 ± 10.09 cm/s). Only LA dimension ≥ 40 mm was independently associated with the thrombus state in the multivariable model. CONCLUSION: This cohort study identified rare thrombus morphology and systematically summarized the classification of thrombus morphology. The distribution of thrombus and sludge outside limited to LAA was updated, including bilateral atrial and appendage involvement and rare atrial septal aneurysm sludge. LAAeV and LAAfV were of limited value in distinguishing solid thrombus from sludge. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: ChiCTR-OCH-13,003,729.

Association Between Aortic Wall Thrombus and Thromboembolic Events After Transfemoral Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

BACKGROUND: Thromboembolic events, particularly strokes, remain a major complication of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Embolic protection devices have failed to show significant clinical benefit in large randomized clinical trials. Aortic wall thrombus (AWT) is often observed on multidetector computed tomography during TAVR work-up, but its prognostic significance is uncertain. OBJECTIVES: This study sought to evaluate the association between the presence of AWT and the incidence of thromboembolic outcomes in patients undergoing transfemoral (TF) TAVR for severe aortic stenosis. METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study of consecutive patients who underwent TF TAVR for severe aortic stenosis between January 2011 and April 2022. A dedicated scale (range: 0-10) was qualitatively used to assess AWT. The primary outcome was a composite of procedural thromboembolic events defined as ischemic stroke, blue toe syndrome, bowel ischemia, or other solid organ infarction. The secondary endpoints were ischemic strokes and procedural death. RESULTS: Of the 641 patients included, severe AWT (score ≥8) was identified in 73 (11.4%). The presence of severe AWT was strongly associated with an increase in the primary outcome (OR: 8.48; 95% CI: 3.36-21.40; P < 0.001). This relationship persisted following multivariable analysis, which adjusted for comorbidities and procedural characteristics. The presence of severe AWT was also found to be associated with an increased incidence of stroke and procedural death (OR: 5.66; 95% CI: 2.00-15.30; P = 0.002 and OR: 4.66; 95% CI: 1.80-11.30; P = 0.002, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The presence of severe AWT on preprocedural multidetector computed tomography is strongly associated with thromboembolic complications including stroke and mortality after TF TAVR.

Constructing a Transient Ischemia Attack Model Utilizing Flexible Spatial Targeting Photothrombosis with Real-Time Blood Flow Imaging Feedback.

Transient ischemic attack (TIA) is an early warning sign of stroke and death, necessitating suitable animal models due to the associated clinical diagnostic challenges. In this study, we developed a TIA model using flexible spatially targeted photothrombosis combined with real-time blood flow imaging feedback. By modulating the excitation light using wavefront technology, we precisely created a square light spot (50 × 250 µm), targeted at the distal middle cerebral artery (dMCA). The use of laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) provided real-time feedback on the ischemia, while the excitation light was ceased upon reaching complete occlusion. Our results demonstrated that the photothrombus formed in the dMCA and spontaneously recanalized within 10 min (416.8 ± 96.4 s), with no sensorimotor deficits or infarction 24 h post-TIA. During the acute phase, ischemic spreading depression occurred in the ipsilateral dorsal cortex, leading to more severe ischemia and collateral circulation establishment synchronized with the onset of dMCA narrowing. Post-reperfusion, the thrombi were primarily in the sensorimotor and visual cortex, disappearing within 24 h. The blood flow changes in the dMCA were more indicative of cortical ischemic conditions than diameter changes. Our method successfully establishes a photochemical TIA model based on the dMCA, allowing for the dynamic observation and control of thrombus formation and recanalization and enabling real-time monitoring of the impacts on cerebral blood flow during the acute phase of TIA.

C-reactive protein to albumin ratio and radial artery thrombosis post transradial angiography.

Aim: The aim is to evaluate the relationship between C-reactive protein (CRP) to albumin ratio (CAR) and radial artery thrombosis in patients undergoing radial angiography. Patients & methods: We prospectively included 261 consecutive patients undergoing radial angiography, assessing radial artery diameter and thrombosis presence. Results: The CRP values were significantly higher in radial artery thrombosis group compared with group without thrombosis (13.01 vs. 4.33 mg/l, p < 0.001, respectively). Also CAR was statistically significantly different between the group with thrombosis and the group without thrombosis (0.102 vs. 0.349, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Our study is the first to assess CAR in radial thrombus development post-procedure in patients undergoing radial angiography. CAR can be useful in determining radial artery thrombosis after the coronary angiography.

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Dual-mode nanoprobe strategy integrating ultrasound and near-infrared light for targeted and synergistic arterial thrombolysis.

Efficient thrombolysis in time is crucial for prognostic improvement of patients with acute arterial thromboembolic disease, while limitations and complications still exist in conventional thrombolytic treatment methods. Herein, our study sought to investigate a novel dual-mode strategy that integrated ultrasound (US) and near-infrared light (NIR) with establishment of hollow mesoporous silica nanoprobe (HMSN) which contains Arginine-glycine-aspartate (RGD) peptide (thrombus targeting), perfluoropentane (PFP) (thrombolysis with phase-change and stable cavitation) and indocyanine green (ICG) (thrombolysis with photothermal conversion). HMSN is used as the carrier, the surface is coupled with targeted RGD to achieve high targeting and permeability of thrombus, PFP and ICG are loaded to achieve the collaborative diagnosis and treatment of thrombus by US and NIR, so as to provide a new strategy for the integration of diagnosis and treatment of arterial thrombus. From the in vitro and in vivo evaluation, RGD/ICG/PFP@HMSN can aggregate and penetrate at the site of thrombus, and finally establish the dual-mode directional development and thrombolytic treatment under the synergistic effect of US and NIR, providing strong technical support for the accurate diagnosis and treatment of arterial thrombosis.

Intraventricular Thrombosis and Pulmonary Embolism Post-Nuss Procedure: A Rare Case of Chronic Bar Displacement in a 16-Year-Old Patient.

This novel report presents the first known case, to our knowledge, of a 16-year-old male patient who experienced intraventricular thrombosis and pulmonary embolism after a Nuss procedure for pectus excavatum, attributed to chronic bar displacement. Two years after the operation, the patient experienced post-exercise cough and hemoptysis, which led to his admission. Imaging revealed pulmonary embolism, thrombosis in the right ventricular outflow tract, and lung infiltrative lesions. We hypothesize that the chronic bar displacement led to its embedment in the right ventricle, resulting in thrombus formation, which subsequently contributed to partial pulmonary embolism. Surgery revealed the bars' intrusion into the right ventricle and lung. This case highlights the risk of severe complications from bar displacement in the Nuss procedure, which necessitates long-term follow-up evaluation, caution against strenuous activities after surgery, and use of thoracoscopic guidance during bar implantation and removal. It underscores the importance of vigilant evaluation for late-stage complications in patients with respiratory distress or thrombosis after a Nuss procedure.

Ultrasound Rounds: Intraoperative Point-of-Care Ultrasound Identifies Intracardiac Thrombus and Pulmonary Embolism Allowing for Alteration in Surgical Management.

Most of the cases demonstrating describing acute findings using point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) have been described in emergency medicine and critical care medicine. While the use of POCUS has become more prevalent in anesthesia practice, documentation of acute findings resulting in alteration in management based on real-time ultrasound findings during pediatric anesthesia remains limited. This case highlights the use of POCUS during cardiopulmonary collapse occurring during correction of neuromuscular scoliosis. POCUS excluded the presumed diagnosis of venous air embolism and identified an intracardiac thrombus leading to the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary embolism.

The role of asymmetry and volume of thrombotic masses in the formation of local deformation of the aneurysmal-altered vascular wall: An in vivo study and mathematical modeling.

Currently, the primary factor indicating the necessity of an operation for an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is the diameter at its widest part. However, in practice, a large number of aneurysm ruptures occur before reaching a critical size. This means that the mechanics of aneurysm growth and remodeling have not been fully elucidated. This study presents a novel method for assessing the elastic properties of an aneurysm using an ultrasound technique based on tracking the oscillations of the vascular wall as well as the inner border of the thrombus. Twenty nine patients with AAA and eighteen healthy volunteers were considered. The study presents the stratification of a group of patients according to the elastic properties of the aneurysm, depending on the relative volume of intraluminal thrombus masses. Additionally, the neural network analysis of CT angiography images of these patients shows direct (r = 0.664271) correlation with thrombus volume according to ultrasound data, the reliability of the Spearman correlation is p = 0.000215. The use of finite element numerical analysis made it possible to reveal the mechanism of the negative impact on the AAA integrity of an asymmetrically located intraluminal thrombus. The aneurysm itself is considered as a complex structure consisting of a wall, intraluminal thrombus masses, and areas of calcification. When the thrombus occupies > 70% of the lumen of the aneurysm, the deformations of the outer and inner surfaces of the thrombus have different rates, leading to tensile stresses in the thrombus. This poses a risk of its detachment and subsequent thromboembolism or the rupture of the aneurysm wall. This study is the first to provide a mechanistic explanation for the effects of an asymmetrical intraluminal thrombus in an abdominal aortic aneurysm. The obtained results will help develop more accurate risk criteria for AAA rupture using non-invasive conventional diagnostic methods.

MRI-based microthrombi detection in stroke with polydopamine iron oxide.

In acute ischemic stroke, even when successful recanalization is obtained, downstream microcirculation may still be obstructed by microvascular thrombosis, which is associated with compromised brain reperfusion and cognitive decline. Identifying these microthrombi through non-invasive methods remains challenging. We developed the PHySIOMIC (Polydopamine Hybridized Self-assembled Iron Oxide Mussel Inspired Clusters), a MRI-based contrast agent that unmasks these microthrombi. In a mouse model of thromboembolic ischemic stroke, our findings demonstrate that the PHySIOMIC generate a distinct hypointense signal on T2*-weighted MRI in the presence of microthrombi, that correlates with the lesion areas observed 24 hours post-stroke. Our microfluidic studies reveal the role of fibrinogen in the protein corona for the thrombosis targeting properties. Finally, we observe the biodegradation and biocompatibility of these particles. This work demonstrates that the PHySIOMIC particles offer an innovative and valuable tool for non-invasive in vivo diagnosis and monitoring of microthrombi, using MRI during ischemic stroke.

Massive arterial and venous thrombosis from smouldering multiple myeloma: further evidence for monoclonal gammopathy of thrombotic significance.

A man in his 40s presented to the emergency department after 2 weeks of abdominal pain and bloating. Radiological investigations revealed multiple unusual sites of thrombosis, including large thrombi in his portal and mesenteric veins, and a left ventricular thrombus with resultant embolic infarcts to his spleen, kidneys, coronary arteries and brain. Standard causes of underlying thrombophilia were excluded. A serum protein electrophoresis and serum-free light chains, with subsequent bone marrow biopsy, lead to the diagnosis of smouldering multiple myeloma (sMM), albeit an unusual presentation with severe clinical sequelae. Although sMM is known to be associated with an increased risk of venous thromboembolism, it is not recognised to cause thrombosis in both venous and arterial vascular beds simultaneously. Physicians encountering patients with multiple thrombi in unusual vascular beds without clear aetiology should consider an underlying monoclonal gammopathy in their list of differentials.

Spontaneous bilateral pampiniform plexus thrombosis in a teenager.

Spontaneous pampiniform plexus thrombosis is an extremely rare condition. Its aetiology and pathophysiology are unknown, and its diagnosis remains challenging. We present the first case of an adolescent patient with bilateral spontaneous pampiniform plexus thrombosis. He presented with a 2-day history of bilateral testicular pain. Biochemical investigations were unremarkable, and the patient did not have any risk factors. Ultrasound of the scrotum demonstrated bilateral pampiniform plexus thrombosis. He was managed conservatively and repeat scrotal ultrasound 3 months later revealed complete resolution. This case adds to the minimal literature on spontaneous pampiniform plexus thrombosis, supporting diagnosis via scrotal ultrasound while recommending conservative management without the use of anticoagulation for patients with no pre-existing coagulopathy.

Left Atrial Appendage Pseudothrombus Is Associated With Stroke History in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation Undergoing Cardiac Computed Tomography.

BACKGROUND: In nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF), the left atrial appendage (LAA) is the source of thrombus in up to 90% of patients. LAA pseudothrombus (LAAPT), defined as a filling defect on the initial but not the 60-second delayed acquisition on cardiovascular computed tomography scan (CCT), is a recognized phenomenon in NVAF, with unknown clinical relevance. We aimed to determine the relationship between LAAPT and history of stroke in patients with NVAF. METHODS AND RESULTS: The study included 213 consecutive patients with NVAF undergoing CCT who were assessed for LAAPT. LA and LAA dimensions and LAA morphology correlated with clinical demographics including cardiovascular risk factors, history of stroke, thromboembolic stroke, and transient ischemic attack. Mean age (±SD) was 65.1±10.5 years (range 31-89) and 150 of 213 (70.4%) were men. LAAPT was present in 59 of 213 (27.7%) patients. Greater mean LAA ostium area (5.7 versus 4.5, P<0.001), greater mean LAA ostium area:curved length (0.11 versus 0.08, P<0.001), increased LAA volume (14.0 versus 10.2, P<0.001), and lower mean LAA tortuosity index (1.17 versus 1.38, P<0.001) were all associated with the presence of LAAPT. On multivariable analysis, LAAPT on CCT (odds ratio [OR], 3.20 [95% CI, 1.40-7.20]; P<0.006) and higher CHA2DS2-VASc score (OR, 1.65 [95% CI, 1.16-2.35]; P=0.01) were associated with all strokes, with LAAPT remaining a statistically significant risk factor even after adjustment for CHA2DS2-VASc score. CONCLUSIONS: LAAPT on CCT is common in patients with NVAF. It has a strong positive association with stroke prevalence, even after adjustment for CHA2DS2-VASc score. LAAPT on CCT may potentially allow further stratification for stroke risk, additive to the CHA2DS2-VASc score.

Bioprosthetic Aortic Valve Thrombosis: Definitions, Clinical Impact, and Management: A State-of-the-Art Review.

Bioprosthetic aortic valve thrombosis is frequently detected after transcatheter and surgical aortic valve replacement due to advances in cardiac computed tomography angiography technology and standardized surveillance protocols in low-surgical-risk transcatheter aortic valve replacement trials. However, evidence is limited concerning whether subclinical leaflet thrombosis leads to clinical adverse events or premature structural valve deterioration. Furthermore, there may be net harm in the form of bleeding from aggressive antithrombotic treatment in patients with subclinical leaflet thrombosis. This review will discuss the incidence, mechanisms, diagnosis, and optimal management of bioprosthetic aortic valve thrombosis after transcatheter aortic valve replacement and bioprosthetic surgical aortic valve replacement.