Transcatheter Valve-in-Valve Replacement Through Apicoaortic Conduit for Aortic Bypass Valve Failure.

We report a case of a 69-year-old woman who required an apicoaortic bypass conduit after stenosis of a biological aortic prosthesis valve previously implanted 4 years earlier. The patient was admitted to the emergency department 8 years later with a diagnosis of congestive heart failure. Echocardiography and nuclear magnetic resonance revealed severe regurgitation of the conduit valve. Because the patient had a very high Society of Thoracic Surgeons risk score associated to an acute angle between the aorta artery and the apicoaortic conduit, we decided to perform an antegrade and direct transcatheter valve-in-valve implantation on the apicoaortic valve, with a good result.

Aneurisma fusiforme gigante de arteria esplénica / Fusiform giant splenic artery aneurysm

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Miomectomía septal en membrana subaórtica recurrente / Septal myectomy in recurrent subaortic membrane

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Transapical aortic valve implantation in bicuspid aortic valves: must be an absolute contraindication?

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) is a new therapeutic option for patients with severe aortic stenosis with unacceptable surgical risk for conventional aortic valve surgery. A Bicuspid Aortic Valve (BAV) is the most common congenital cardiac disorder (1% of the population) and currently is considered exclusion criteria for TAVI, because it predicts an increased risk of adverse aortic events as incomplete sealing, severe paravalvular regurgitation, or dislocation due to more frequent elliptic shape and asymmetric calcifications in BAV annulus. Only few cases have been published in recent literature, so in this case report we illustrate our experience and management of TAVI in a BAV, with excellent outcomes and no late complications at 1 year follow-up. We believe that currently the presence of a BAV might not be considered an absolute contraindication for TAVI, because although there is no sufficient data for assess the safety or efficacy of TAVI in BAV, this case report shows that it could be performed safely in selected patients with unacceptable surgical risk after an extensive preoperative evaluation, avoiding this procedure in patients with bad prognostic factors as huge and heavy calcifications, asymmetric valves, elliptic annulus or small distance from leaflets to coronary ostia. Each case must be individualized, being alert at follow-up because the risk of late complications.

Mitral valve repair in a patient with mitral regurgitation and osteogenesis imperfecta tarda.

We present the case of a 62-year-old female with a diagnosis of osteogenesis imperfecta and mitral valve regurgitation. The patient underwent a mitral valve repair without complications. We describe the case and our surgical technique.

Management of aortic valve dysfunction after transapical approach using the technique "valve after valve".

We report a case of a 77-year-old patient with severe aortic stenosis who underwent transapical aortic valve implantation with a 23-mm Edwards Sapien valve (Edwards Lifesciences Inc, Irvine CA). This procedure was complicated with the occurrence of an acute regurgitation due to entrapment of one of the leaflets that was successfully managed by valve after valve technique.

Spontaneous closure of pseudoaneurysm after transapical aortic valve implantation.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation by an apical approach has been developed as an alternative to conventional aortic valve replacement. Complications with these relatively new procedures are being reported. We report a case of transapical transcatheter aortic valve implantation, in which a pseudoaneurysm at the apex of the left ventricle as a complication of the procedure developed in the patient and was treated without surgery. The defect spontaneously closed.

Mitroaortic valve replacement after aortic transapical approach failure in a patient with essential thrombocytosis.

There is a lack of published information about intraoperative and postoperative course of cardiac surgery in patients with essential thrombocytosis using cardiopulmonary bypass. Both risks of intraoperative thrombosis of extracorporeal conduits or uncontrolled postoperative bleeding are present, but its incidence and treatment are not well known. Here, we present a rare case of a patient with essential thrombocytosis, moderate mitral regurgitation and severe aortic stenosis who had a transapical aortic valve implantation with short-term severe periprosthetic regurgitation, who needed a mitroaortic replacement on cardiopulmonary bypass with no complications.

Functional anatomy of aortic regurgitation. Role of transesophageal echocardiography in aortic valve-sparing surgery.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: The aim was to evaluate the usefulness of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) for the preoperative functional anatomical assessment of patients with aortic regurgitation (AR) to identify those eligible for valve-sparing surgery (VSS). METHODS: We determined the accuracy and diagnostic value of TEE for identifying underlying lesions and mechanisms in 66 patients who underwent surgery for severe AR by comparing TEE findings with those obtained on surgical inspection. The usefulness of TEE for predicting the feasibility of VSS was determined. RESULTS: The overall diagnostic accuracy of TEE was excellent (87%, kappa=0.82), with valve prolapse being the principle cause of discrepancy between the methods (in 23/27 cases; 85%). Three anatomical forms of dilatation of the ascending aorta (AA) were correctly classified (accuracy >88%; kappa 0.83): supratubal aneurysm (19 patients), aortic root aneurysm (4), and annuloaortic ectasia (24). The mechanism underlying AR was identified with an accuracy of 85% (kappa 0.8) and there was a significant association between the type of mechanism identified by TEE and the success of VSS (P< .001): VSS was successful in 73% of patients with dilatation of a functional annulus (i.e. with tethering), but aortic valve replacement was required in 78% with prolapses, 90% with thickened leaflets with restricted movement, and 100% with perforation. There was also a relationship between the type of aneurysm and the technique required for AA replacement (P=.004). CONCLUSIONS: Use of TEE enabled the mechanism underlying AR to be accurately identified. There was a high level of agreement with surgical inspection and the technique was useful for predicting the feasibility of VSS and the surgical procedure for AA replacement.

Anatomía funcional de la insuficiencia aórtica. Papel de la ecocardiografía transesofágica en la cirugía conservadora de válvula aórtica / Functional anatomy of aortic regurgitation. Role of transesophageal echocardiography in aortic valve-sparing surgery

Introducción y objetivos. Intentamos determinar el papel de la ecocardiografía transesofágica (ETE) en la descripción preoperatoria de la anatomía funcional de la insuficiencia aórtica (IAo) para identificar candidatos a cirugía conservadora (CCVAo). Métodos. En 66 pacientes intervenidos de IAo severa se determinan precisión y valores diagnósticos de la ETE en la descripción de lesiones y mecanismos, empleando la observación quirúrgica como referencia. Se valora la utilidad de la ETE para predecir aplicabilidad de técnicas de CCVAo. Resultados. La exactitud diagnóstica general de la ETE es excelente (87%, índice kappa = 0,82); el prolapso presenta la principal discrepancia (23/27 casos; 85%) entre los métodos. Tres formas anatómicas de dilatación de aorta ascendente (AA) fueron correctamente clasificadas (precisión, > 88%; kappa = 0,83): aneurisma de AA supratubular (19), aneurisma de raíz (4) o anuloectasia aórtica (24). La precisión en el diagnóstico del mecanismo fue del 85% (kappa = 0,8) y éste presentó una asociación significativa con el éxito de la CCVAo (p < 0,001) en el 73% de los casos de dilatación de los anillos funcionales (tethering). El 78% de prolapsos, el 90% de movimiento restrictivo de velos engrosados y el 100% de perforaciones requirieron sustitución valvular aórtica. Las formas de aneurisma también se relacionaron con el procedimiento de sustitución de AA (p = 0,004). Conclusiones. La ETE permite una descripción precisa de los mecanismos de la IAo, tiene una elevada tasa de acuerdo con las observaciones quirúrgicas y predice adecuadamente la aplicabilidad de la CCVAo y el procedimiento de sustitución de AA (AU)

Introduction and objectives. The aim was to evaluate the usefulness of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) for the preoperative functional anatomical assessment of patients with aortic regurgitation (AR) to identify those eligible for valve-sparing surgery (VSS). Methods. We determined the accuracy and diagnostic value of TEE for identifying underlying lesions and mechanisms in 66 patients who underwent surgery for severe AR by comparing TEE findings with those obtained on surgical inspection. The usefulness of TEE for predicting the feasibility of VSS was determined. Results. The overall diagnostic accuracy of TEE was excellent (87%, kappa=0.82), with valve prolapse being the principle cause of discrepancy between the methods (in 23/27 cases; 85%). Three anatomical forms of dilatation of the ascending aorta (AA) were correctly classified (accuracy >88%; kappa 0.83): supratubal aneurysm (19 patients), aortic root aneurysm (4), and annuloaortic ectasia (24). The mechanism underlying AR was identified with an accuracy of 85% (kappa 0.8) and there was a significant association between the type of mechanism identified by TEE and the success of VSS (P < .001): VSS was successful in 73% of patients with dilatation of a functional annulus (i.e. with tethering), but aortic valve replacement was required in 78% with prolapses, 90% with thickened leaflets with restricted movement, and 100% with perforation. There was also a relationship between the type of aneurysm and the technique required for AA replacement (P=.004). Conclusions. Use of TEE enabled the mechanism underlying AR to be accurately identified. There was a high level of agreement with surgical inspection and the technique was useful for predicting the feasibility of VSS and the surgical procedure for AA replacement (AU)

Indications for surgery and operative techniques in infective endocarditis in the present day.

Despite medical advances, the mortality in infective endocarditis is today very high. Its clinical and epidemiological characteristics are changing over time, with more elderly patients affected, with more underlying co-morbidities and with Staphylococci as the most frequent pathogen. Effective treatment in complicated cases needs a multidisciplinary approach, and surgery is necessary in 40-50% of cases. Since clinical trials are difficult to be conducted in infective endocarditis, the scientific evidence is weak. The main indications of surgical treatment are heart failure due to valvular regurgitation and uncontrolled infection because of periannular extension or difficult-to-treat micro-organisms. Prospective analysis has demonstrated that medical-surgical treatment is better than only medical treatment in complicated endocarditis with severe cardiac failure but mortality is still high with periannular extension. Prosthetic endocarditis has better prognosis with surgical treatment in the presence of complications and when the aetiology is S aureus. In patients without extensive non-hemorrhagic neurological lesions, early surgical intervention is safe. Mitral repair is nowadays an effective surgical technique when there is not extensive valve destruction, since replacement with a prosthetic valve has several problems like risk of infection, requirement for anticoagulation and durability. There is no evidence that the employment of homografts is better than aortic valve replacement, and the most important issue is the complete removal of the infected tissue. The pacemaker and defibrillator infection is best treated by removal of the device and the leads along with effective antibiotic therapy. Percutaneous lead extraction is the method of choice, and surgery is reserved only when there are contraindications or failure of the percutaneous techniques, large vegetations, and tricuspid regurgitation. Whenever is possible, tricuspid repair, is preferable, but replacement must be considered when there is a chance for recurrence after repair.

Current indications for infective endocarditis antibiotic prophylaxis.

Indications of endocarditis prophylaxis have changed in the past years, because of the absence of any evidence that justified its use. The last guidelines only recommend prophylaxis in patients with underlying cardiac conditions with the higher risk of adverse outcomes, including patients with a previous history of infective endocarditis, patients with prosthetic heart valve or prosthetic material used for valve repair, patients with a valvulopathy after cardiac transplantation, and patients with an specific congenital heart disease. The list of procedures in which prophylaxis is necessary has been limited too. Nowadays it is recommended in patients who undergo any dental procedure that involves the gingival tissues or periapical region of a tooth and for those invasive procedures of the oral cavity or an invasive procedure of the respiratory tract that involves incision or biopsy of the respiratory mucosa. In this revision we try to expose the recent tendencies recommended by the international guidelines.

Video-assisted cardioscopy for removal of primary left ventricular fibroma.

We present a case of a cardiac fibroma affecting the base of the anterior papillary muscle resected under cardiopulmonary bypass with cardioscopy and video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) instruments through the mitral valve. The surgical approach and instrumentation of previous case reports are reviewed.

Replacement of A2 and A3 by pericardium due to endocarditis of the anterior leaflet of the mitral valve.

We present a case of acute endocarditis due to enterococcus faecalis involving partially A2 and completely A3 (Carpentier classification) with destruction of the free margin of the mitral valve. Repair was performed by using glutaraldehyde treated porcine pericardium to replace the defect and neochordae of polytetrafluoroethylene sutured to the free margin of the pericardium to achieve competence. Intraoperative and follow-up echocardiogaphies showed no regurgitation.

Austrian syndrome: a clinical rarity.

We present a case of classical Austrian syndrome in a 55-year-old man with a history of alcoholism. The rapid destruction in aortic valve cusps caused perforations with severe aortic insufficiency, acute pulmonary edema, and determined an urgent aortic valve substitution with good postoperative evolution. The review of the literature suggests cardiac surgery in this syndrome to improve the poor survival with conservative treatment. We recommend early surgery in these cases because of the fast impairment of the patient and valvular tissue destruction detected in intraoperatory examination.