Case Report: COVID-19 Infection of a Transplanted Heart Simulating Cellular Rejection.

Contemporary reports showed that solid organ transplantation patients who contract SARS-CoV-2 infection have a high mortality rate. There are sparse data about recurrent cellular rejections and the immune response to the SARS-CoV-2 virus in patients after heart transplantation. Herein, we report a case of a 61-year-old male post-heart transplant patient who tested positive for COVID-19 and developed mild symptoms 4 months after transplantation. Thereafter, a series of endomyocardial biopsies showed histologic features of acute cellular rejection despite optimal immunosuppression, good cardiac functions, and hemodynamic stability. Demonstration of SARS-CoV-2 viral particles by electron microscopy in the endomyocardial biopsy confirmed the presence of the virus in the foci of the cellular rejection, pointing to a possible immunologic reaction to the virus. To our knowledge, there is limited information regarding the pathology of COVID-19 infection in immunocompromised heart transplant patients, and there are no well-established guidelines for treating such patients. Based on the demonstration of SARS-CoV-2 viral particles within the myocardium, we concluded that myocardial inflammation visible on endomyocardial biopsy might be attributed to the host's immune response to the virus, which mimics acute cellular rejection in newly heart transplanted patients. We report this case to increase awareness of such events post-transplantation and to add to knowledge regarding the management of patients with ongoing SARS-CoV-2 infection that proved to be challenging.

Post-Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) Vascular Complications: Femoral Artery Minimal Surgical Access Versus Percutaneous Approach.

Introduction: Percutaneous transfemoral access approach for the transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is still associated with significant vascular complications. Hence, evaluation of best techniques for the reduction of vascular injury via the femoral access remains a key subject of research. Aim: We report on a single centre's experience with TAVI performed via the Femoral Artery Minimal Surgical Access (MSA) and percutaneous approach (PC). The primary endpoints were to evaluate the incidents of vascular complications by comparing the MSA versus the PC approach according to the VARC-2 criteria. The secondary endpoint included the impact of vascular complications on the in-hospital 30-day mortality and morbidity. Material and methods: Between June 2010 and September 2020, two hundred and thirty-seven consecutive patients who underwent TAVI for severe symptomatic aortic stenosis in our department were divided into two groups: patients treated using the femoral artery minimal surgical access (n = 173), and patients treated using the percutaneous approach (n = 64). Results: Overall rate of access site complications according the VARC-2 were significantly more frequent in the percutaneous cohort (n = 12/64, 18.8% vs n = 2/173, 1.1%, p = 0.0012). The minor access complications including haematoma, bleeding, aneurysm, dissection, stenosis, seroma and infection were more frequent in the PC group (n = 8/64, 12.5% vs n = 2/173, 1.1%, p < 0.001). There were no major access site complications and hospital deaths in the MSA group, which was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Major access complications (n = 4, 6.3%, p < 0.001) and hospital death (n = 2, 3.1%, p < 0.001) were found in the PC cohort. Conclusions: The minimal surgical access approach provided direct and controlled access and significantly reduced the incidence of access site vascular complications in our TAVI patients. It also significantly reduced the in-hospital vascular-related mortality and morbidity. Though both approaches are complementary to each other, minimal surgical access approach would be a better choice for a calcified or tortuous femoral artery, and for a relatively small femoral artery diameter.

The evolving treatment of congenital heart disease in patient with Down syndrome: Current state of knowledge.

OBJECTIVES: Children with Down syndrome are usually seen as not worthy of high-risk cardiac surgery. Through this review, we try to show the results of curative and palliative surgery for functional single ventricle syndrome in patients with Down syndrome, as there is currently no standard protocol for the treatment of this category of patients. METHODS: An exhaustive search of all related published medical literature included the following domains: Down syndrome and diagnosis, Down syndrome and taxonomy, Down syndrome, and natural history, Down syndrome and cardiovascular abnormalities, Down syndrome and pulmonary hypertension, Down syndrome and institutionalization, Down syndrome and surgical repair, Down syndrome, and single ventricle palliation, Down syndrome and Glenn, Down syndrome, and Fontan. RESULTS: 12 articles were included from 775 identified. Low-risk cardiac surgery procedure should be provided for Down syndrome with a balanced ventricular septal defect. There is no universal agreement about the surgical approach for Down syndrome with unbalanced ventricular septal defects, but it can be performed at relatively low risk. CONCLUSIONS: TCPC in Down syndrome patients could be a relatively low-risk procedure if patients are prepared well and their pulmonary vascular resistance is low. Randomized prospective studies are required to show the long-term impact of TCPC palliation and develop a better understanding of standardized care of these patients.

Incidence, predictors, and clinical outcomes of permanent pacemaker insertion following transcatheter aortic valve implantation in an Arab population.

PURPOSE: Conduction defects requiring permanent pacemaker insertion (PPI) are one of the most common complications after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). The purpose of this study was to identify the incidence and predictors of this complication as well as to assess clinical outcomes of patients requiring PPI after TAVI in an Arab population. METHODS: In this single-center, retrospective cohort analysis, all patients who underwent TAVI from 2010 to 2018 were reviewed; seventy-four independent variables were collected per patient, and multivariate analysis was performed to identify predictors. In-hospital outcomes were examined as well as 30-day and 1-year endpoints as defined by the Valve Academic Research Consortium-2. RESULTS: There were 48 of 170 patients (28.2%) who required PPI within 30 days of TAVI. The median time from TAVI to PPI was 2 days (interquartile range: 0 to 5 days). Positive predictors of 30-day PPI were prior right bundle branch block (odds ratio [OR]: 4.10; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.37 to 0.79; p < 0.001), post-procedural development of new right bundle branch block (OR: 3.59; 95% CI: 1.07 to 12.03; p = 0.038), post-procedural development of new left bundle branch block (LBBB) (OR: 1.85; 95% CI: 1.21 to 2.84; p = 0.005), post-procedural prolongation of PR interval (OR: 1.02; 95% CI: 1.01 to 1.02; p < 0.001), and post-procedural QRS duration (OR: 1.01; 95% CI: 1.00 to 1.03; p = 0.02). However, post-procedural development of new LBBB no longer remained a significant predictor of PPI after excluding six patients with LBBB who underwent prophylactic PPI (p = 0.093). Negative predictors of 30-day PPI were the presence of diabetes (OR: 0.54; 95% CI: 037 to 0.79; p = 0.001), the use of prosthesis size 29 compared to 23 (OR: 0.55; 95% CI: 0.35 to 0.87; p = 0.010), and the use of prosthesis size 26 compared to 23 (OR: 0.31; 95% CI: 0.20 to 0.50; p < 0.001). PPI was associated with longer median hospital stay, but the result was borderline significant after multivariate adjustment (19 vs. 14 days; p = 0.052). There was no statistically significant difference in 30-day and 1-year clinical outcomes. CONCLUSION: One-third of patients required PPI after TAVI. Several risk factors can identify patients at risk for PPI particularly pre-existing right bundle branch block. Further studies are needed to assess the association between PPI and negative clinical outcomes.

The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on the Hospital Management of TAVI Patients: TAVI Team Thoughts and Recommendation.

The COVID-19 Pandemic has put enormous pressure on the healthcare system globally, causing many healthcare organizations all over the world to cancel or stop elective procedures in their cardiac catheterization laboratoires. This delay in elective procedures with no doubt has led to a suspension of patient care primarily to those with severe aortic stenosis, which might place them at higher risk for cardiovascular complications like sudden death and heart failure. Health Care Worker are faced with the uncertainty of contracting infections while performing procedures in patients with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 or suspected cases. This unprecedented situation is very challenging for the safety of Health Care Worker. Hence, in this article, we aim to summarize some of the current guidelines as to how to triage patients in need for Trans Catheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI), during this ongoing pandemic, and will address some necessary considerations related to the preparation of catheterization laboratories and personal during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cardiac Surgery Services During the COVID-19 Outbreak: Surgeons' Thoughts.

Cardiac surgeons during this pandemic crisis have a responsibility to ensure that essential elective cardiac operations are provided at their centers to the public, at the same time, they have to face administrative demands as well as the infection prevention guidelines and restrictions to protect themselves and their patients. Here, we describe the patient and procedures characteristics that we recommend to protect our patients and the healthcare workers.

The behavior of residual pulmonary artery gradient after arterial switch operation: A longitudinal data analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The arterial switch operation (ASO) is the standard treatment for the transposition of the great arteries. The timely variation in the residual pressure gradient across the pulmonary arteries is ill-defined. This study is aimed to study the progressive changes in the pressure gradient across the pulmonary valve and pulmonary arteries after ASO. METHODS: All eligible patients for this study who underwent ASO between 2000 and 2019 were reviewed. Transthoracic echocardiography was used to estimate the peak pressure gradient across the pulmonary artery and its branches. The primary outcome was the total peak pressure gradient (TPG) which is the sum of peak pressure gradients across the main pulmonary artery and pulmonary artery branches. Furthermore, longitudinal data analyses with mixed-effect modeling were used to determine the independent predictors for the changes in the pressure gradient. RESULTS: Three hundred and nine patients were included in the study. Over a 17-year follow-up, the freedom from pulmonary stenosis reintervention was 95% (16 out of the 309 patients underwent reintervention = 5%). The longitudinal data analyses of serial 1844 echocardiographic studies for the included patients revealed that the TPG recorded in the first postoperative echocardiogram across pulmonary valve, right and left pulmonary artery branches was the most significant predictor for reintervention. CONCLUSION: The total peak gradient measured in the first postoperative echocardiogram is the most important predictor for reintervention. We propose that a total peak gradient in the first postoperative echocardiography of 55 mm Hg or more is a predictor for reintervention.

Impact of blood transfusion on major infection after isolated coronary artery bypass surgery: Incidence and risk factors.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Cardiac surgery is considered one of the conditions that require a transfusion of blood and blood products in large amount. Infections are one of the most common complications after cardiac surgery. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of blood transfusion on major infections after isolated coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG). METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted at King Abdulaziz Cardiac Center. Eligible adult patients, aged >18 years, who underwent an isolated CABG from 2015 to 2016, were included. Patient demographic information, as well as pre-, intra-, and postoperative data were collected from the electronic hospital information system charts and perfusion records. For data analysis, categorical pre- and postoperative variables were summarized by frequencies and percentages, whereas for continuous variables, means and standard deviation or median and interquartile ranges were used. RESULTS: The sample size was 459 patients. Red blood cells (RBCs) were transfused in 60.1% of the patients, and the median number of units transfused per patient was 2. The mean hemoglobin threshold for transfusion was 8.2 (standard deviation ±â€¯3.6) g/dL. The mean EuroSCORE of RBC recipients was 3.8 ±â€¯5.9% and that of non-RBC recipients was 2.0 ±â€¯2.0%. In both groups (RBC recipients and non-RBC recipients), the most frequent infections after CABG were pneumonia (12% and 8.7%, respectively), deep surgical site infection (3.6% and 0.5%, respectively), and superficial sternal infection (6.9% and 3.8%, respectively), with a statistically significant difference (all p < 0.05). Patients receiving a blood transfusion at any stage during the intraoperative or postoperative period were 2.6 times more likely to develop an infection compared with those who did not receive a blood transfusion. The recipients of a blood transfusion experienced a longer hospital stay compared with the non-recipients at 11.5 ±â€¯9.8 days versus 8.7 ±â€¯3.4 days, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Blood transfusion appears to increase the risk of infection post-CABG. However, increased understanding of the role of other potential clinical confounding variables that may impact the infection rate is required. We recommend management strategies that limit RBC transfusion.

Mitral valve replacement for mitral stenosis: A 15-year single center experience.

OBJECTIVES: Mitral valve replacement with either a bioprosthetic or a mechanical valve is the treatment of choice for severe mitral stenosis. However, choosing a valve implant type is still a subject of debate. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the early and late outcomes of mitral valve replacement [mechanical (MMV) vs. bioprosthetic (BMV)] for severe mitral stenosis. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was performed on data involving mitral stenosis patients who have undergone mitral valve replacement with either BMV (n = 50) or MMV (n = 145) valves from 1999 to 2012. Data were collected from the patients' records and follow-up through telephone calls. Data were analyzed for early and late mortality, New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional classes, stroke, pre- and postoperative echocardiographic findings, early and late valve-related complications, and survival. Chi-square test, logistic regression, Kaplan-Meier curve, and dependent proportions tests were some of the tests employed in the analysis. RESULTS: A total of 195 patients were included in the study with a 30-day follow-up echocardiogram available for 190 patients (97.5%), while 103 (53%) were available for follow-up over the telephone. One patient died early postoperatively; twelve patients died late in the postoperative period, six in the bioprosthesis group and six in the mechanical group. The late mortality had a significant association with postoperative stroke (p < 0.001) and postoperative NYHA Classes III and IV (p = 0.002). Postoperative NYHA class was significantly associated with age (p = 0.003), pulmonary disease (p = 0.02), mitral valve implant type (p = 0.01), and postoperative stroke (p = 0.02); 14 patients had strokes in the mechanical (9) and in the bioprosthetic (5) groups. NYHA classes were significantly better after the replacement surgeries (p < 0.001). BMV were significantly associated with worse survival (p = 0.03), worse NYHA postoperatively (p = 0.01), and more reoperations (p = 0.006). Survival was significantly better with MMV (p = 0.03). When the two groups were matched for age and mitral regurgitation, the analysis revealed that BMV were significantly associated with reoperations (p = 0.02) but not significantly associated with worse survival (p = 0.4) or worse NYHA (p = 0.4). CONCLUSION: MMV replacement in mitral stenosis patients is associated with a lower reoperation rate, but there was no difference in survival compared with BMV replacement.

Giant Hernia of Morgagni with Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Rare Case Report and Review of Literature.

Hernia of Morgagni is a congenital defect of the sternal part of the diaphragm and frequently presents on the right side of the midline. The hernial sac is usually small and can be dealt with through either an abdominal approach or through a lateral thoracotomy incision. Median sternotomy as an approach to repair these defects has very rarely been described in the literature when concomitant cardiac surgical procedures were required. We report the case of a 42 year-old male with Morgagni hernia that was approached through median sternotomy because of concomitant requirement for open heart surgery. The patient presented with acute coronary syndrome necessitating urgent coronary artery bypass surgery and was found to have a giant hernia of Morgagni due to bilateral defects. This entity is very rarely described and may pose difficulty in repair due to excessive adhesions to the surrounding thoracic or mediastinal tissues. Median sternotomy seems to be the ideal approach to deal with these giant lesions. Clinical presentation of Morgagni hernia and different options for surgical repair of the defect are discussed with reference to relevant literature.

Open Heart Surgery with Intracranial Meningioma: Case Report & Literature Review.

Meningiomas are generally considered slow growing tumours of arachnoid cell origin which remain asymptomatic for a long period of time and are usually managed conservatively by serial radiological follow-up. Only those lesions which show a potential for rapid growth are considered for surgical resection. Coronary artery bypass surgery usually involves use of cardiopulmonary bypass which incites varying degrees of systemic inflammatory response. Although some meningiomas are recognised by secretion of vasoactive substances leading to peri-lesion oedema, very little is known about the behaviour of asymptomatic meningiomas during a normal run of cardiopulmonary bypass where there is a significant rise in the plasma level of many vasoactive substances. We report the case of a 68 year-old male patient with asymptomatic meningioma who required urgent coronary artery bypass surgery leading to peri-lesion oedema and significant post-operative morbidity due to reversible neurological deficit.

Clinical course and outcomes of critically ill patients with Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus infection.

BACKGROUND: Since September 2012, 170 confirmed infections with Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) have been reported to the World Health Organization, including 72 deaths. Data on critically ill patients with MERS-CoV infection are limited. OBJECTIVE: To describe the critical illness associated with MERS-CoV. DESIGN: Case series. SETTING: 3 intensive care units (ICUs) at 2 tertiary care hospitals in Saudi Arabia. PATIENTS: 12 patients with confirmed or probable MERS-CoV infection. MEASUREMENTS: Presenting symptoms, comorbid conditions, pulmonary and extrapulmonary manifestations, measures of severity of illness and organ failure, ICU course, and outcome are described, as are the results of surveillance of health care workers (HCWs) and patients with potential exposure. RESULTS: Between December 2012 and August 2013, 114 patients were tested for suspected MERS-CoV; of these, 11 ICU patients (10%) met the definition of confirmed or probable cases. Three of these patients were part of a health care-associated cluster that also included 3 HCWs. One HCW became critically ill and was the 12th patient in this case series. Median Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score was 28 (range, 16 to 36). All 12 patients had underlying comorbid conditions and presented with acute severe hypoxemic respiratory failure. Most patients (92%) had extrapulmonary manifestations, including shock, acute kidney injury, and thrombocytopenia. Five (42%) were alive at day 90. Of the 520 exposed HCWs, only 4 (1%) were positive. LIMITATION: The sample size was small. CONCLUSION: MERS-CoV causes severe acute hypoxemic respiratory failure and considerable extrapulmonary organ dysfunction and is associated with high mortality. Community-acquired and health care-associated MERS-CoV infection occurs in patients with chronic comorbid conditions. The health care-associated cluster suggests that human-to-human transmission does occur with unprotected exposure. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: None.

Echocardiography in mitral stenosis.

Echocardiography plays a major role in diagnosis, etiology and severity of Mitral Stenosis (MS), analysis of valve anatomy and decision-making for intervention. This technique has also a crucial role to assess consequences of MS and follow up of patients after medical or surgical intervention. In this article we review the role of conventional echocardiography in assessment of mitral stenosis and future direction of this modality using 3D echocardiography.

Echocardiographic atlas of the mitral regurgitation.

Mitral regurgitation (MR) is defined as the loss of the smooth and adequate trimming closure of the mitral valve, which results in the reflux of blood from the left ventricle into the left atrium during systole. The functional competence of the mitral valve relies on the proper and coordinated interaction of the following structures: the mitral annulus, and leaflets, chordate tendineae, papillary muscles, left atrium and the left ventricles. This article will describe the echocardiography assessment of the mitral valve regurgitation with special emphasis on the trans-esophageal and 3D echocardiography. The echocardiography images were all original with special attention to the unique surgical view of the images.

Coronary insufficiency in children: Review of literature and report of a rare case with unknown aetiology.

Myocardial ischemia due to coronary artery disease is a rare condition in children. The reported causes of this condition include vasculitis; commonest being Kawasaki' disease, pre-mature atherosclerosis due to familial dyslipidemias, congenital coronary artery anomalies and post-operative complications of procedures requiring coronary artery re-implantation in children, e.g. arterial switch procedure and Ross procedure. Allograft arteriopathy after heart transplantation is a more recent addition to this list (Mavroudis et al., 1996). Surgical procedures required for the treatment of coronary artery disease in children include, but are not limited to coronary artery re-implantation, re-routing, augmentation of the osteum, and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). We present our experience of a rare case of triple vessel coronary artery disease of unknown aetiology in a child, treated with coronary artery bypass grafting procedure.

Gender differences in the surgical management and early clinical outcome of coronary artery disease: Single centre experience.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the gender disparity in the distribution of patient-related risk factors and their effect on the surgical management and clinical outcome of coronary artery disease in Saudi population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We carried out a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data of 971 patients undergoing isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) at our institution between January 2005 and December 2008. Seven hundred and eighty seven patients (81%) were males and 184 patients (19%) were females. We analyzed gender-based difference in clinical presentation and patient-related pre-operative risk factors and studied their impact on surgical management and clinical outcome. RESULTS: The mean age was 59.5 years in males and 63.4 years in females (p = <0.0001). Associated co-morbidities were higher in females. Prevalence of diabetes mellitus was 61.2% in males and 78.8% in females (p-value = <0.0001); hypertension 61.9% in males and 79.9% in females (p-value <0.0001); hyperlipidemia 66.7% in males and 77.7% in females (p-value 0.0035); morbid obesity 24.7% in males and 45.1% in females (p-value <0.0001); and Hypothyroidism 2.5% in males and 13.6% in females (p-value <0.0001). Smoking was the only risk factor with higher prevalence in males compared to females (44.2% v/s 2.2%; p-value <0.0001). The mean logistic euroSCORE was 3.94 in males and 5.51 in females (p < 0.0003). On-pump and off-pump CABG was carried out in equal numbers in two groups. Females required urgent surgery and less than 3 grafts more frequently while males underwent elective surgery and more than 3 grafts in greater numbers. No significant difference was present between the two gender groups in aortic occlusion times and bypass times. Univariant analysis revealed females gender as an independent risk factor for higher in-hospital mortality (1.1% versus 4.9% p = 0.0026) and higher incidence of post-operative complications like surgical wound infection, need for prolonged ventilation, low cardiac output state and multi-organ failure (p-values 0.01 or less). CONCLUSION: Female gender is an independent predictor of adverse outcome after isolated CABG due to significantly higher co-morbidities and acute presentation and independent of their peri-operative management. Therefore, major socioeconomic education and preventive measures are needed to reduce the burden of major co-morbidities in females and to seek early cardiac advice and care.

The basics of echocardiography.

Cardiac echocardiography is becoming an essential diagnostic tool for a variety of cardiac pathology. Acquiring the necessary knowledge will help non cardiac and the cardiac specialist to understand the echocardiography images and reports and in return will improve the care of the patients. The aim of these of publication is to address the basic knowledge of cardiac echocardiography and the recent advances of its applications.

Moderate ischemic mitral regurgitation: Is there a case for early intervention?

Ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR) results from left ventricular remodelling after myocardial infarction and severely affects cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. Ischemic mitral valve regurgitation also represents a negative prognostic factor for long-term survival in patients undergoing surgical myocardial revascularization. While severe mitral regurgitation should always be corrected during a coronary artery bypass operation, the decision making is more difficult in patients with a moderate degree of regurgitation. In this review, we wish to highlight the negative impact of IMR on long-term survival and discuss the available evidence for surgical correction of IMR at the time of coronary revascularization.