A 'dreaded' complication of stuck prosthetic valve in the first trimester pregnancy.

A dramatic rise in cardiac output with a decrease in afterload are the hallmark of hemodynamic variations induced by normal pregnancy, which requires significant cardiac adaptation. Females with rheumatic mitral valve disease who have had a mitral valve replacement in the past are increasingly choosing to become pregnant. Hypercoagulability of pregnancy, problems with anticoagulant therapy along with hemodynamic changes in pregnancy increase the risk of cardiac complications in this subset. There is a paucity of research on the management of problems in patients with cardiac prosthetic valves. We present a case of primigravida with a history of mitral valve replacement, presenting with a stuck valve. Learning objectives: •Pregnancy is a pro-thrombotic state•Pregnancy with a mechanical heart valve has high risk of stuck vale despite adequate anti-coagulation•Management of such high-risk cases must be carried out at a tertiary care center with all facilities•Multi-disciplinary approach is required to deal with pregnant women with mechanical heart valve.

Role of fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23) in the prediction of postoperative atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass surgery.

Introduction: Fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23) is a bone-derived hormone which had shown a significant association with the occurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with chronic kidney disease. We hypothesized that FGF-23 could be a very useful predictive biomarker for atrial remodeling and in turn for postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). We also looked at the correlation of cardiac remodeling in right atrial biopsy and its correlation with POAF and with the FGF-23 level. Methods: This study was a single-center cross-sectional observational study. All the patients who were planned for CABG with no prior history of AF were included in the study. All the patients were tested for preoperative serum FGF-23 level. During CABG, biopsy specimen of the right atrial appendage was sent for histopathology evaluation. All patients were monitored for POAF until discharge from the hospital. Results: This study involved 60 patients who underwent elective CABG. Multivariate analysis revealed a significant association between preoperative FGF-23 levels with the occurrence of POAF (p < 0.001). The area under the curve of FGF-23 was 0.894 with a sensitivity of 92.3% and specificity of 87.23%. The cut-off value for serum FGF-23 levels was found to be 6.50 ng/ml. Analysis of biopsy specimens revealed that the presence of hypertrophic myocytes had a significant association with the occurrence of POAF/POAE and with FGF-23. Conclusion: Preoperative FGF-23 levels can predict the incidence of POAF in post-CABG patients. Histopathologically, the presence of hypertrophic myocytes correlated well with the occurrence of POAF.

The clinical experience of macitentan in pulmonary hypertension in Indian cohort: 12-month follow-up.

BACKGROUND: The effectiveness and safety of macitentan, an endothelin-receptor antagonist (ERA) in the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), has been demonstrated in numerous randomized clinical trials including SERAPHIN, focused on the reduction of morbidity and mortality. OBJECTIVES: Our aim was to demonstrate the clinical and echocardiographic progression using macitentan in Indian patients with PAH. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: It was a retrospective study of 20 patients with multiple etiologies of PAH who had begun macitentan in routine clinical practice from a single center. There were 55% of patients with existing PAH therapies. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The World Health Organization functional class (WHO-FC), 6-min walking distance, N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide level (NT-pro-BNP), and echocardiographic data such as tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE), systolic pulmonary artery pressure (sPAP), and the occurrence of pericardial effusion were collected at baseline and 12-month follow-up. The statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software. RESULTS: Of the 20 PAH patients, 70% were women. The majority were in WHO FC II (50%), while 35% were in FC III and 15% were in FC IV. The mean age was 43.4 years at the start of the therapy with macitentan. After 6 months of macitentan therapy, 85% showed substantial improvement in their FC, each increased its 6-min walking distance test (P < 0.0001), and there was a significant reduction in plasma levels of NT-pro BNP (P < 0.0001). There has also been an improvement in echocardiographic parameters such as TAPSE and sPAP (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that macitentan has been well tolerated and beneficial in Indian patients with PAH and further, future research is required to verify these results.

Left ventricular thrombus with normal systolic function secondary to the novel prothrombotic association of acute on chronic calcific pancreatitis and COVID-19.

In the presence of normal left ventricular systolic function, the development of left ventricular thrombus has seldom been documented in hypercoagulable conditions. Echocardiographic results of left ventricular thrombi can be differentiated from those found in cardiac tumors such as myxoma. Many other organs, including the central and peripheral nervous systems, as well as the cardiac and vascular systems, have recently been linked to thromboembolic events in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). It not only exacerbates acute pancreatitis but often predisposes, in fact, to a novel prothrombotic state in patients with pre-existing comorbid conditions such as chronic calcific pancreatitis. We report an unusual correlation of two prothrombotic disorders - COVID-19 and acute on chronic pancreatitis contributing to the development of thrombus in a normal left ventricle. .

Dual left anterior descending artery: diagnostic criteria and novel classification.

Duplication of the left anterior descending artery is an uncommon coronary anomaly. Since no proper classification has been established after the initial description and numerical classification by Spindola-Franco et al., many newer numbers have evolved with many overlapping and unclassified variants described in the literature. Identification and reasonable management strategies for dual left anterior descending artery (LAD) are crucial in preventing the long-term disastrous consequences of inadequate revascularization. Clinicians and diagnosticians should be aware of this specific angiographic-based congenital coronary abnormality of the LAD. We, therefore, sought a new, reasonable classification of the dual LAD system, which would clarify this ambiguity, which also has therapeutic implications.

Congenital isolated unilateral agenesis of pulmonary arteries in adults: case series and review.

Congenital, isolated unilateral agenesis of pulmonary arteries (UAPA) has a bimodal clinical presentation. It is either diagnosed in early infancy or during adulthood. Early diagnosis and timely surgical correction at infancy prevent the development of irreversible pulmonary hypertension and enable prolonged survival. Though surgical intervention is a conclusive method of treatment, its outcome depends upon the reversibility of pulmonary hypertension and the adequacy of the pulmonary artery dimension. Adults with UAPA can be asymptomatic (diagnosed incidentally) or symptomatic. They may present clinically with myriads of symptoms like exertional dyspnea, recurrent lung infection, hemoptysis, and atypical chest pain. For cases where definitive surgical treatment is not feasible, interventional and medical management should be carried out as part of palliative therapy. A retrospective analysis of 22 cases of UAPA in adults published in the literature from the years 2017-2020 are presented here, along with our institutional case.

A rare infective endocarditis caused by Vagococcus fluvialis.

A 70-year-old male with a past history of coronary artery bypass grafting, presented with high-grade fever and rapidly progressive dyspnea for 3 days. He was febrile and a prominent diastolic murmur was noted in the aortic area. Transesophageal echocardiography showed severe aortic regurgitation with multiple mobile vegetations attached to both supra- and infravalvular surfaces of aortic valve. Blood cultures grew Vagococcus fluvialis which was confirmed with identification and antibiotic susceptibility test testing and S16 RNA sequencing. The patient underwent aortic valve replacement with a bioprosthetic valve. Repeat blood culture was sterile. He was continued on vancomycin injections for a total period of six weeks. Vagococcus is a unique genus of Gram-positive, catalase-negative, facultatively anaerobic cocci that was identified in 1989. The only other documented case of vagococcal endocarditis involving mitral and aortic valves had a similar rapidly progressive presentation with extensive valvular damage. V. fluvialis infection appears to have fulminant course with sudden deterioration requiring surgical intervention. .