Fenestration: Integrating Wings Into the Atrial Septal Occluder for Navigating a Challenging Terrain.

Background Atrial septal defect (ASD) closure with significant left-to-right shunt and concurrent comorbidities poses challenges for intervention. A fenestrated atrial septal defect (FASD) device is a viable option for patients who cannot undergo complete occlusion due to hemodynamic and medical reasons. This study explores the use of FASD occluders in patients with secundum ASD and associated comorbidities where complete occlusion is difficult. Methodology This retrospective study collected the details of patients recommended for FASD closure diagnosed with significant secundum ASD and who had additional comorbidities between July 2015 and July 2023 in a tertiary cardiac center in eastern India. Among this cohort, patients who underwent FASD device placement were subjected to a comprehensive analysis. Results In total, 16 patients diagnosed with secundum ASD, characterized by significant left-to-right shunt and concurrent comorbidities, were considered for FASD closure during the study period. Ultimately, 13 patients (first group) underwent fenestrated atrial septal occluder implantation. The average age was 45.07 years, with the majority being females (n = 9). Comorbidities among this cohort included substantial left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (n = 7), left ventricular diastolic dysfunction coupled with moderate pulmonary hypertension (n = 1), severe pulmonary hypertension (n = 1), severe pulmonary valvular stenosis with right ventricular diastolic dysfunction (n = 2), and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (n = 2). From this cohort, three patients did not undergo the intervention. The second group consisted of an elderly patient with severe left ventricular diastolic dysfunction, a young adult with a history of left atrial arrhythmia, and a child with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). The average ASD size among patients who underwent the intervention was 26.38 mm, with a thick-to-thick dimension measuring 31.15 mm. The procedure was successful in all 13 patients, with the most frequently used device being a 34 mm occluder (range = 28-40 mm). All devices, excluding the initial one, were custom-made atrial septal occluders (Lifetech Scientific). Among the patients, 12 exhibited left-to-right fenestration flow, while one patient experienced fenestration constriction, likely due to occluder overcrowding. The first patient had a handmade 5 mm fenestration in a 40 mm Amplatzer septal occluder, which got closed off at the one-year follow-up. The procedure was well-tolerated hemodynamically in all patients, with no major complications during the peri-procedural period. Short-term follow-up indicated favorable patient progress. Conclusions FASD closure emerges as a pivotal alternative for intricate scenarios involving secundum ASD coupled with concurrent comorbidities, offering individualized tailored solutions. Alongside the conventional associated comorbidities, such as left ventricular diastolic dysfunction and pulmonary hypertension, FASD devices hold the potential to extend their benefits to patients grappling with other complexities, including severe pulmonary valvular stenosis, SLE, predisposition to left atrial arrhythmia, and conditions like DMD. Ensuring meticulous evaluation of patient suitability and providing ongoing vigilant care becomes paramount for achieving optimal outcomes. The validation of these findings and the broadening of the comprehension of this approach necessitate further comprehensive investigations.

PULMOEAST: A Comprehensive Analysis of Pulmonary Hypertension in Eastern India.

Background Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a debilitating cardiovascular disorder characterized by abnormally elevated blood pressure within the lungs. The diverse range of causes and varied clinical presentations contribute to the complexity of its diagnosis and management. In eastern India and surrounding areas, awareness of PH remains limited, and resources for its management are scarce. This study aims to address this knowledge gap by investigating clinical characteristics and treatment approaches adopted for PH patients in eastern India. Methods This retrospective-prospective cohort study included patients diagnosed with PH, defined by a pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) > 50 mmHg or a mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) >20 mmHg, between July 2015 and October 2023. Data retrieved from hospital records formed the retrospective cohort, while the prospective cohort comprised patients directly recruited for the study. Results The PULMOEAST study enrolled 93 patients with confirmed PH, divided into prospective (59 patients) and retrospective (34 patients) cohorts. The most prevalent cause of PH was congenital heart disease (CHD), with shunt lesions (59.13%), followed by complex CHD (13.97%) and idiopathic PH (20.43%). Six additional patients presented with rare causes of PH, and three experienced transient PH following atrial septal defect device closure. Geographic distribution revealed that 72.04% of patients originated from eastern India, while 18.27% hail from other eastern states and 8.6% from neighboring countries. Patients exhibited varying functional classes (FC), with 57 classified as FC-II and 31 classified as FC-III. Treatment strategies primarily involve supportive medications and pulmonary vasodilators. Monotherapy was administered to 26 patients (27.95%), dual therapy to 50 patients (53.76%), and triple therapy to one patient. Notably, 16 patients did not receive any vasodilator therapy as they were waiting for further evaluation. Among the vasodilator regimen, two patients received Selexipag. Three patients underwent intervention for shunt lesion closure, including one patient who received a fenestrated atrial septal occluder implant. Additionally, one patient underwent clot removal for pulmonary thromboembolism. Despite the overall positive response to treatment, the study recorded eight fatalities (8.6%) during the observation period. However, most patients exhibited significant improvement, including a decrease in functional class, during a mean follow-up duration of 14.31 months. Conclusion The PULMOEAST study undertook a comprehensive exploration of PH in eastern India and surrounding regions, revealing a stark dominance of CHD as the primary culprit. The study confirmed the pivotal role of echocardiography as a readily available and effective tool for both initial and follow-up evaluations in resource-scarce settings. It painted a hopeful picture by showcasing significant clinical improvement in most treated patients, with supportive medications and pulmonary vasodilators playing a crucial role. However, the diverse etiologies, limited access to PH-specific resources, and lack of widespread awareness within the region continue to pose substantial challenges for patients. The study underscores the need for refined diagnostic approaches, cost-effective management strategies, collaborative care initiatives, and enhanced patient education to optimize PH care and improve outcomes in eastern India.

A review on advances in the development of electrochemical sensors for the detection of anesthetic drugs.

Surgeries are a crucial medical intervention that has saved countless lives from time immemorial. To reduce pain during surgeries patients are administered with anesthetic drugs, which cause loss of sensation and thus reduce the pain involved. However, anesthetists control the effects of the drug by depending on pharmacokinetic calculations, which may vary from patient to patient, thus leading to a reduction in the quality of anesthetic care and adverse effects. To avoid these adverse effects, it is highly necessary to implement a real time monitoring of plasma drug concentration, which will adjust the drug infusion and maintain the levels of drug within therapeutic levels. To implement such a system, it is highly essential to analyze current advances in electrochemical sensor systems for different types of anesthetic drugs like opioids, intravenous anesthetics, and neuromuscular blockers. This review focuses on the present strategy of electrochemical sensors implemented for the detection of anesthetic drugs and it helps towards developing a real time drug dispensing system with respect to the plasma concentration of the drug. This analysis will contribute towards establishing highly effective real time drug dispensing systems like the total intravenous anesthesia technique and patient-controlled analgesia. Such systems will lead to better usage of anesthetic drugs and improve the quality of anesthetic care thus making surgeries safer and more painless.

Nanosheets of nickel, cobalt and manganese triple hydroxides/oxyhydroxides as efficient electrode materials for asymmetrical supercapacitors.

Transition metals play a significant role in energy storage applications mainly as electrode materials in supercapacitors. In this work, triple hydroxide/oxyhydroxide nanosheets of a nickel, cobalt and manganese (NCM) composite were electrochemically deposited on carbon cloth (CC) and used as electrode materials in supercapacitors. In a three electrode system the composite delivered a specific capacitance of 707 F g-1 at a current density of 3 A g-1 which retained its stability even at a higher current density of 50 A g-1. An asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) was assembled and characterized using NCM as the positive electrode, activated carbon as the negative electrode and Whatman filter paper soaked in KOH as the separator. The device operated in a working potential window of 1.75 V and it delivered a power density of 13.12 kW kg-1 and an energy density of 23.7 W h kg-1.