Coronary calcifications, the Achilles heel in coronary interventions.

Percutaneous coronary intervention in severely calcified coronaries has been associated with higher rates of procedural complications, including myocardial infarction and death in addition to increased frequency of coronary revascularization on an intermediate and long-term basis. The SYNTAX score, which is designed to assess the complexity of coronary artery disease and aids in choosing a revascularization method, allocates two points per lesion when there is heavy calcification present on fluoroscopy. With the advent of novel multimodality imaging technologies, the detection and evaluation of coronary calcifications improved significantly over the last decade. Several tools are now available for modifying calcified lesions including different types of dedicated balloons and atherectomy devices, which may create some degree of confusion regarding the suitable application of each instrument. The aim of this review is to cover this vital topic from different aspects. First, we tried to provide an overview on the pathophysiology and types of coronary calcification and its risk factors. Then, we outlined the available imaging modalities for the evaluation of calcified coronary lesions, highlighting the points of strength and weakness of each of them. A comprehensive discussion of calcium-modifying techniques was elaborated, summarizing their mechanism of action, pros and cons, and possible complications. Finally, an integrated algorithm was proposed for the best management of calcified coronary lesions.

Accidentally discovered non-communicating membranous ventricular septal aneurysm in a middle-aged male patient.

Membranous interventricular septal (MIVS) aneurysm is a rare often asymptomatic, accidentally discovered congenital anomaly, which might be complicated with right ventricular obstruction, rupture, thromboembolism, and conduction abnormalities.

Imaging of a case of atrioventricular septal defect: The added value of using the third dimension in echocardiography.

The role of 3D echocardiography has been increasing in the management of patients with congenital heart disease (CHD), particularly in pre-surgical planning, catheter-guided interventions, and functional assessment of the heart.

Clinical features and outcomes of infective endocarditis: a single-centre experience.

BACKGROUND: Infective endocarditis (IE) may present with a broad spectrum of symptoms and signs and several tools can be used for diagnosis. Many protocols can be used for in-hospital and out-patient management. The aim of this study was to assess the clinical features, tools used and outcomes of patients diagnosed with IE in one of the tertiary-care university hospitals. METHODS: This study included 90 consecutive patients admitted to the Cardiology Department in a tertiary-care university hospital in Egypt with a diagnosis of IE. RESULTS: The mean age of the studied population was 36.72 years and 76.67% were males. The most common underlying condition was valvular heart disease (48.89%), followed by intravenous drug use (26.67%) and the most common risk factor was smoking (48.89%). The most common clinical presentation was fever (69.67%), followed by dyspnoea (55.56%), and the mean duration from symptom onset until admission was 13.28 ± 9.29 days. Positive cultures were encountered in 45.56% of patients. Surgery was indicated in 91.11% of the patients but it was performed in only 28.89%. Almost a third of patients (34.44%) died in the hospital. After one year of follow up, a further 8.47% of the patients had died, 11.86% had heart failure and 6.78% had undergone a re-do surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Nowadays IE tends to affect a younger group of patients and valvular heart disease is the main underlying condition. The mortality rate due to IE is high in developing countries and IE does not have only immediate and short-term complications, its effects extend to a longer period of time.

Complex and multilevel left ventricular outflow tract obstruction: What can 3D echocardiography add?

BACKGROUND: Subaortic obstruction by a membrane or systolic anterior motion of the mitral valve leaflets is usually suspected in young patients, especially if the anatomy of the aortic valve is not clearly stenotic and unexplained left ventricular hypertrophy exists in the context of high transaortic gradients. MAIN BODY: In certain circumstances, some patients show both aortic and subaortic stenotic lesions of variable severity. Doppler echocardiography can help in grading severity in the case of single-level obstruction but not in patients with multilevel obstruction where the continuity equation is of no value. Three-dimensional (3D) echocardiography allows "en-face" visualization of each level of the aortic valve and subaortic tract; in addition, direct planimetry of the areas can be done using multiplanar reformatting. CONCLUSIONS: Accordingly, 3D echocardiography plays a crucial role in the assessment in patients with multilevel left ventricular outflow tract obstruction as it can accurately delineate the location and size, and severity of the stenosis.

Acute pulmonary embolism in a patient with hepatitis C virus infection and hepatocellular carcinoma: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac metastases in hepatocellular carcinoma patients are infrequently encountered and usually associated with a very poor prognosis. CASE PRESENTATION: Hereby, we report a case of an acute pulmonary embolism (PE) on top of HCC with direct cardiac invasion to the right atrium (RA) through the inferior vena cava with another metastasis to the right ventricular apex in the form of highly mobile cauliflower mass protruding through the tricuspid valve into RA and nearly obliterating right ventricular outflow tract in a multi-centric hepatocellular carcinoma patient. CONCLUSION: Acute dyspnea in a patient with a long history of hepatitis C virus infection raises the suspicion of acute PE due to either hypercoagulable state induced by malignancy or by cardiac extension of the tumor which usually carries high mortality rates. To the best of our knowledge, this case is the first case in the literature to show cardiac metastases in HCC with two different pathological mechanisms.

Pulmonary capillary hemangiomatosis: a case series and review of literature.

Pulmonary capillary hemangiomatosis (PCH) is a rare cause of pulmonary hypertension (PH) of unknown etiology resulting from pulmonary capillary proliferation. Clinically, PCH is seen in young adults with equal sex predilection and rarely reported familial predisposition. PCH's main clinical presentations are progressive dyspnea, fatigue, hemoptysis, palpitations, and later irreversible pulmonary hypertension and right-sided heart failure. Hereby, we report three PCH cases, each case presented with a peculiar presentation with a comprehensive literature review highlighting etiology, clinical presentations, diagnostic modalities and pathology in establishing a diagnosis, current treatment options, and prognosis of PCH. In conclusion, defining PCH as the underlying cause of PH is of utmost importance as most medications used for PH are ineffective in PCH. Vasodilators should be avoided due to the increased risk of pulmonary oedema. Pathological examination of the lung is still considered the most definitive diagnostic tool, yet it is associated with complications risk. High-Resolution Computed Tomography (HRCT) chest is currently considered the cornerstone non-invasive modality for the diagnosis of PH. So far, no definitive treatment of PCH excluding lung transplantation with preliminary promising results with angiogenesis Inhibitors. PCH carries a very poor prognosis with a median survival of 3 years from the time of diagnosis.