Resolution of an acute aortic syndrome with aortic valve insufficiency post-PCI.

BACKGROUND: Acute aortic syndrome is the modern term that includes aortic dissection, intramural hematoma, and symptomatic aortic ulcer. Iatrogenic coronary artery dissection extending to the aorta during percutaneous coronary intervention is a very rare but life-threatening complication. Despite some reports of spontaneous recovery, most of these patients are treated surgically as a spontaneous aortic dissection, especially if there is a complication of the aortic lesion. CASE REPORT: A 52-year-old white female was submitted to an angioplasty in the right coronary without success and the procedure was complicated by a dissection in aortic root with progressive extension to the ascending aorta. This lesion deformed the aortic valve, leaving it with an acute moderate regurgitation. Because of current use of clopidogrel and clinical stability of the patient, the local Heart Team decided to withdrawn this antiplatelet for 5 days before surgery despite the risk related to the aortic syndrome. A new echocardiogram 3 days later showed that the hematoma was reabsorbed with improvement of the aortic insufficiency. An angiotomography confirmed the reabsorption of the hematoma. The surgery was canceled and the patient was maintained in a conservative treatment and discharged. Seventeen months later, she was re-evaluated and was still asymptomatic without aortic regurgitation in the echocardiogram and showing progressive regression of the aortic hematoma in the tomography. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the conservative treatment, this case of iatrogenic aortic dissection complicated by an acute aortic regurgitation had a good evolution in a follow-up of 17 months.

Ausência congênita do pericárdio: documentação ecocardiográfica, tomográfica e por ressonância magnética nuclear / Congenital absence of the pericardium: documentation with echocardiography, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging

O presente caso relata uma anomalia congênita (1:14.000 necropsias) e de difícil diagnóstico, visto que os portadores dessa anomalia, geralmente são assintomaticos: a agenesia do pericárdio. O diagnóstico baseado no tripé: radiografia de tórax, ecodopplercardiograma e tomografia computadorizada ou ressonância magnética de tórax deve ser sempre lembrando, uma vez que a patologia oferece risco de evolução para evento cardíaco agudo potencialmente letal, quando de sua apresentação parcial.

Noninvasive detection of coronary allograft vasculopathy by myocardial contrast echocardiography.

BACKGROUND: Noninvasive detection of coronary allograft vasculopathy is still challenging. To determine the accuracy of myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) in detecting coronary allograft vasculopathy after heart transplantation, we studied 35 asymptomatic patients (30 men, aged 46 +/- 12.7 years) with normal left ventricular function. METHODS: Patients underwent MCE with continuous contrast (perfluorocarbon-exposed sonicated dextrose albumin) administration. Images were obtained at baseline and during peak dobutamine (up to 40 mg/kg/min) with intermittent harmonic imaging. Areas failing to increase contrast enhancement during peak stress were regarded as abnormal. Coronary artery obstructions greater than 50% at angiography were considered significant. RESULTS: Seven out of 10 patients with coronary artery disease had a positive MCE and one patient with a positive MCE had no angiographically detected disease (sensitivity = 70%, specificity = 96%, accuracy = 88.6%). Agreement between the vascular territory and perfusion defects was good for the left anterior descending coronary artery (kappa = 0.56), but not for other arteries. Although 5 patients had multivessel disease, multiple perfusion defects were detected in only one patient. CONCLUSION: MCE showed good accuracy in detecting the presence of coronary allograft vasculopathy after heart transplantation; however, it failed to identify the extent of the disease.

Angiotensin II contributes to arterial compliance in congestive heart failure.

Arterial compliance is determined by structural factors, such as collagen and elastin, and functional factors, such as vasoactive neurohormones. To determine whether angiotensin II contributes to decreased arterial compliance in patients with heart failure, this study tested the hypothesis that administration of an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor improves arterial compliance. Arterial compliance and stiffness were determined by measuring carotid artery diameter, using high-resolution duplex ultrasonography, and blood pressure in 23 patients with heart failure secondary to idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. Measurements were made before and after intravenous administration of enalaprilat (1 mg) or vehicle. Arterial compliance was inversely related to both baseline plasma angiotensin II (r = -0.52; P = 0.015) and angiotensin-converting enzyme concentrations (r = -0.45; P = 0.041). During isobaric conditions, enalaprilat increased carotid artery compliance from 3.0 +/- 0.4 to 5.0 +/- 0.4 x 10(-10) N(-1). m(4) (P = 0.001) and decreased the carotid artery stiffness index from 17.5 +/- 1.8 to 10.1 +/- 0.6 units (P = 0.001), whereas the vehicle had no effect. Thus angiotensin II is associated with reduced carotid arterial compliance in patients with congestive heart failure, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition improves arterial elastic properties. This favorable effect on the pulsatile component of afterload may contribute to the improvement in left ventricular performance that occurs in patients with heart failure treated with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors.

Comparison between percutaneous balloon valvuloplasty and open commissurotomy for mitral stenosis. A prospective and randomized study.

Eighty patients with tight and pliable mitral stenosis were randomized in a prospective trial comparing percutaneous balloon valvuloplasty and open commissurotomy. Mitral valve area increased significantly in both groups immediately after the procedures. However, a decrease in mitral valve area occurred in both groups at 6, 12 and 24 months during the follow-up. There was no death in either group. Two patients had significant mitral regurgitation after percutaneous balloon valvuloplasty. After 24 months, all patients in the commissurotomy group and 97.4% of the patients in the balloon valvuloplasty group were in New York Heart Association functional class I or II.

Aneurisma subvalvar mitral de ventrículo esquerdo / Mitral subvalvular aneurysm of the left ventricle

A 21-year-old white man presented with cardiogenic shock and refractory pulmonary congestion. At the transthoracic echocardiogram a subvalvar left ventricular aneurysm of the inferior wall with severe mitral regurgitation was observed. The outcome was favorable after surgical correction of the mitral regurgitation and of the subvalvar aneurysm. We emphasize that, whenever possible, valvar repair is better than mitral replacement, since annulus tissue fragility causes suturing of the mitral prosthesis to be difficult.

Efeitos agudos da ibopamina sobre a mêcanica ea contralidade ventricular esquerda em Pacientes com Cardiomiopatia dilatada idiopática / Acute Effects of Ibopamine on Left Ventricular Mechanics and Contractility in Patients with Idiopathic Dilated Cardiomyopathy

OBJETIVO - Avaliar os efeitos agudos da ibopamina (IBO) sobre a mecânica e a contrabilidade miocárdica em pacientes com insuficiência cardíaca congestiva (ICC)refratária secundária à cardiomiopatia dilatada idiopática.MÉTODOS- Foram estudados 10 pacientes (idade= 43+-7anos) do sexo masculino, em ritmo sinusal, com cardiomiopatia dilatada idiopática e ICC refratária.Foram realizados estudos ecocardiográficos e hemodinâmicos (cateter micro-tip) simultâneos, antes (basal) e após (20,40 e 60min) à administraçäo de um comprimido de 200mg de IBO.Para cada fase obtidas as relaçöes pressäo/diâmetro e esforço/de formaçäo do ventrículo esquerdo (VE).A partir destas relaçöes foram analisados:frequência cardíaca (FC-bpm), débito cardíaco (DC-L/m), pressäo diastólica final (PDF-mmHg); fraçäo de encurtamento (D por cento); elastância máxima (E máx - mmHg/cm/s);esforços sistólico final (ESF-g/cm2) e diastólito final (EDF-g/cm2); rididez da cavidade (Kp-mmHg/cm) e do músculo cardíaco (Km-g/cm2);e tempo da constante de relaxamento (Tau-ms).RESULTADOS- Na condiçäo basal e aos 20,40 e 60min após a administraçäo da IBO, näo houve variaçäo significante na FC (99+-7;99+-8e99+-10), e foram observados aumentos signifacantes do DC (4,13+-1,28;4,95+-1,38;5,13+-1,86;5,18+-1,57), do D por cento (13,7+-2,4;15,4+-2,8;15,9+-1,8;16,1+-2,0), e da E máx (14,8+-3,2;16+-3,6;17,7+-4,2;17,6+-4,2).Houve mudanças significativas, com aumento transitório inicial seguido de diminuiçäo da PDF ( 26,3+-4,2;30,6+-6,4;24,6+-5,6;22,3+-4,6) do EDF (79,7+-22,8;91,7+-29,6;79+-31;63+-17,3) e do Kp (27,2+-12,6;60+-26,7;27,9+-11,7;28+-11).CONCLUSAO - A IBO produziu efeito benéfico na funçäo sistólica e diastólica do VE, bem como aumentou a contratilidade em pacientes com insuficiência cardíaca severa devido à cardiomiopatia dilatada idiopática

Purpose - The effects of ibopamine (IBO) on left ventricular (LV) mechanics and contractility have not been described. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that IBO has a contractile effect at a dose of 200mg. Methods - Ten male patients (43±7 years) with refractory heart failure due to idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy were studied. The patients were submitted to simultaneous echo-Doppler and hemodynamic (microtip catheter) studies, before (B) and after (20, 40 and 60 minutes) a dose of 200mg of IBO. LV pressure/diameter and stress/strain relations were obtained. Subsequently, heart rate (HR-bpm), cardiac output (CO-L/m), end-diastolic pressure (EDPmmHg); fractional shortening (FS-%); maximal elastance (Emax-mmHg/cm/s); end systolic (ESS-g/cm2) and enddiastolic (EDS-g/cm2) stress; chamber (Kp-mmHg/cm) andmuscle (Km-g/cm2) stiffness, and the time of constant relaxation (Tau-ms) were analyzed. Results - Results were presented as mean ± standard deviation for conditions before and after IBO (20, 40 and 60 minutes) respectively. There was no change in HR (99±7; 100±7; 99±8; 99±10). Significant increa ses were observed in CO (4.13±1.28; 4.95±1.38; 5.13±1.86;5.18±1.57), FS (13.7±2.4; 15.4±2.8; 15.9±1.8; 16.1±2.0), and Emax (14.8±3.2; 16±3.6; 17.7±4.2; 17.6±4.2). A transient (20 minutes) increase followed by a decrease (40 and 60 minutes) ocurred in EDP (26.3±4.2; 30.6±6.4; 24.6±5.6; 22.3±4.6), EDS (79.7±22.8; 91.7±29.6; 79±31; 63±17.3), and Kp (27.2±12.6; 60±26.7; 27.9±11.7; 28.1±11). Conclusion - IBO has a beneficial effect on LV systolic and diastolic function as well as on contractility in patients with heart failure due to idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy

Estudo randomizado comparando-se a substituiçäo valvar mitral com e sem preservaçäo da continuidade anel-cordas tendíneas-papilares / ndomized study comparing mitral valve replacement with and without preservation of mitral ring chordae tendinae papillary continuity

Objetivo - Demonstrar a importância da preservaçäo da continuidade anel-cordas tendíneas-músculos papilares, na troca da valva mitral. Métodos - Foram estudados 21 pacientes submetidos à troca valvar mital, divididos, de forma randomizada, em 2 grupos. O grupo 1, formado por 12 casos submetidos à troca valvar mitral com preservaçäo da cúspide posterior e das tendineas correspondentes, e grupo 2, constituído po 9 casos submetidos à troca da valva mitral da forma convencional, retirando-se todo o aparelho valvar mitral. A funçäo ventircular esquerda foi estudada no pós-operat1ório tardio e serviu para comparar os resultados obtidos no 2 grupos. Para analisarmos a funçäo ventricular esquerda, foram utilizados ecocardiograma, cateterismo cardíaco e cintilografia. A análise estatística foi feita utilziando-se o teste de Wilcoxon. Resultados - Nenhum óbito foi registrado no pós-operatório imediato. Pela cintilografia, a queda percentual da fraçäo de ejeçäo no grupo 1 (p=0,03). O percentual de encurtamento do ventrículo esquerdo registrado pelo ecocardiograma foi maior no grupo I, porém, estatisticamente a diferença näo foi significativa. A média dos diâmetros diastólicos do ventrículo esquerdo e os valores médio di diâmetro do átrio esquerdo pelo ecocardiograma, foram menores no grupo 1 do que no grupo 2. Houve queda da pressäo diastólica final do ventrículo esquerdo no grupo 1 e aumento no grupo 2, pelo estudo hemodinâmico. Constatou-se queda, proporcionalmente maior no grupo 1, da pressäo média no capilar e na artéria pulmonar. O valor médio da pressäo diastólica no ventrículo direito, no grupo 2, foi significantemente maior (p=0,05). Conclusäo - A funçäo ventricular esquerda, no grupo submetido a substituiçäo valvar mitral com preservaçäo do aparelho subvalvar, foi mais satisfatória

Purpose- To demonstrate the importance of the preservation of mitral annulus-chordae tendineaepapillary muscles continuity in mitral valve replacement. Methods - We studied 21 patients who were submitted to mitral valve replacement, divided in two randomized groups: group 1, 12 cases who undergone mitral valve replacement, with preservation of the posterior leaflet and correspondent chordae tendineae; and group 2 - 9 cases who undergone conventional mitral valve replacement, excising the mitral valve apparatus. The left ventricular function was studied both, in the pre and post operative period, by echocardiography, cardiac catheterization, and radioisotopic study. The statistical analysis was done by the Wilcoxson's test. Results - There were no early post operative deaths. Analising the results of the ejection fraction by the radioisotopic study we found a significant difference (p=0,03) between the percentual decrease of the two groups. The results of the fractional shortening were higher in group 1 than in group 2, however not significant. The left ventricular diastolic diameters average was lower in group 1 than in group 2, so as the left atrium diameter. We found a decrease in left ventricular end-diastolic pressure in group 1, however there was an increase in group 2, by the cardiac catheterization. There was a proportional increase in group 1 both in lung artery and lung capillary pressures. There was a significant difference (p=0.05) between the average values of right ventricular diastolic pressure. Conclusion - There is better preservation of left ventricular function in group 1

Valvoplastia mitral por cateter baläo: resultados imediatos e seguimento de 1 ano / Percutaneous mitral balloon valvuloplasty.early results and one year follow-up

Objetivo - Avaliar os resultados da valvoplastia mitral por cateter baläo (VMCB) a curto e a médio prazos. Métodos - Cento e quatro procedimentos em 103 pacientes, 89 (87%) mulheres e média etária de 33 anos. O diagnóstico foi estenose mitral (EM) em 95 (91%), reestenose mitral em 7 (7%) e bioprótese estenótica em 2(2%). Doze pacientes (10%) estavam em classe funcional (CF) II (NYHA), 73 (70%) em CF III e 19 (18%) em CF IV. Noventa e três (89%) estavam em ritmo sinusal, 10 (10%) em fibrilaçäo atrial e 1 (1%) em ritmo funcional. Em 99% dos casos a técnica empregada foi transeptal. Resultados hemodinâmicos comparativos entre pré X pós VMCB imediato foram: área valvar mitral (cm2) 0,75 ñ 0,27 x 1,68 ñ 0m48 (p < 0,0001), gradiente AE-VE médio (mmHg) 19,52 ñ 8,03 x 5,44 ñ 4,38 p < 0,0001); pressäo média de AE (mmHg) 24,72 ñ 8,76 x 9,63 ñ 6,11 (p < 0,0001); índice cardíaco (L/min/m*) 2,55 ñ 0,69 x 2,92 ñ 0,77 (p < 0,0001); pressäo média de AP (mmHg) 40,17 ñ 16,52 x 25,65 ñ 13,77 (p < 0,0001). Ao ecocardiograma os resultados comparativos entre pré-VMCB, pós-VMCB, controle de 6 meses e 12 meses pós-VMCB foram respectivamente: área valvar mitral (cm*) 0,89 ñ 0,23 x 1,87 ñ 0,41 x 1,72 ñ 0,43 x 1,64 ñ 0,44 e gradiente transvalvar mitral (mmHg) 13,12 ñ 4,66 x 6,44 ñ 2,93 x 7,72 ñ 3,24 x 8,30 ñ 4,17. Houve um óbito imediato pós-VMCB em paciente portadora de tromboembolismo pulmonar, 4 (4%) pacientes com insuficiência mitral importante (1 óbito no pós-operatório imediato) e 2 pacientes com reestenose mitral. Conclusäo - A VMCB mostra-se método eficaz e seguro ocorrendo persistência de bons resultados no período de 1 ano de acompanhamento

Purpose - To evaluate percutaneous mitral balloon valvuloplasty (PMBV) results immediately and one yearfollow-up. Methods - One hundred andfour procedures in 103 patients, 89 (87%) were women and mean age was 33. Ninety five (91%) had mitral stenosis, 7 (7%) mitral restenosis and 2 (2%) stenotic bioprosthesis. Twelve (10%) patients were in functional class (FC) II (NYHA), 73 (70%) in FC III and 19 (18%) in FC IV. Ninety three (89%) were in sinusal rhythm, 10 (10%) had atrialfibrilation and 1 (1%) junctional rhythm. In 99% cases the transeptal access was used. Results - The comparative haemodinamic results late x immediately after-PMBV were mitral valve area (cm2) 0.75 ± 0.27 x 1.68 ±0.48 (p < 0.0001), gradiente AE-VE average (mmHg) 19.52 ± 8.03 x 5.44 ± 4.38 (p < 0.0001); average pressure AE (mmHg) 24.72 ± 8.76 x 9.63 ± 6.11 (p < 0.0001), cardiac inde x (L/ min/m2) 2.55 ± 0.69 x 2.92 ± 0.77 (p < 0.0001); average pressure PA (mmHg) 40.17 ± 16.52 x 25.65 ± 13.77 (p < 0.0001). The echocardiography results pré-PMBV, post-PMBV, 6 and 12 months after PMBV were respectively: mitral valve area (cm2) 0.89 ± 0.23 x 1.87 ± 0.41 x 1.72 ± 0.43 x 1.64 ± 0.44 and mitral transvalvar gradient (mmHg) 13.12 ± 4.66 x 6.44 ± 2.93 x 7.72 ± 3.24 x 8.30 ± 4.17. There was one death immediately after-PMBV in a patient with pulmonar thromboembolism. Four (4%) had severe mitral regurgitation and went to surgery (1 death). There were 2 mitral reestenosis. Conclusion - For selected patients PMBVis a safe method and the good results are maintained in 1 year follow-up