Management of a Mycotic Right Coronary Artery Aneurysm With Contained Rupture.

Infected coronary artery aneurysm is a rare complication of bacteremia with significant risk of mortality. We describe a case where contained rupture had caused purulent pericarditis and an alternative surgical approach to management was required as aortocoronary bypass grafting was unfeasible. (Level of Difficulty: Advanced.).

One-Year Outcomes of Early, Compassionate Use of the PASCAL Ace Implant System for Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair.

Background: Continued development of transcatheter mitral repair technologies is needed to address the large and diverse population of high-risk patients with symptomatic mitral regurgitation (MR). The new PASCAL Ace implant system, with its narrower profile, complements the original PASCAL transcatheter valve repair system. The aim of this study is to report 1-year outcomes from the early, compassionate-use observational experience with the novel PASCAL Ace implant system. Methods: After heart team assessment, adults with symptomatic moderate-to-severe (3+) or severe (4+) MR despite optimal medical therapy were treated under compassionate use at 3 hospitals internationally. Data were prospectively collected, and outcomes were assessed over a 12-month follow-up period. Results: Seventeen patients (mean age 76 years, 65% male, mean Society of Thoracic Surgeons Predicted Risk of Operative Mortality score 9.6) were treated. MR etiology was degenerative in 29%, functional in 65%, and mixed in 6%; 59% were in New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III-IV. Technical success was achieved in 100%, and procedural success in 94%. At 1 year, MR grade ≤2+ was achieved in 93% (p < 0.001) with 88% survival rate and 94% free from heart failure hospitalization. The composite major adverse event rate was 6% and 100% of patients had ≤NYHA class II symptoms (p < 0.001). Conclusions: At 1 year, the PASCAL Ace implant system demonstrated feasibility in this early, compassionate use experience in a small group of symptomatic patients with anatomically complex MR. The unique features of the PASCAL Ace implant may expand the treatable MR population.

Long-term outcomes of adults with acute respiratory failure treated with veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is increasingly used for severe but potentially reversible acute respiratory failure in adults; however, there are limited data regarding long-term morbidity. At our institution, most patients requiring veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation have been followed up by a single physician. Our primary aim was to describe the serial long-term morbidity for respiratory, musculoskeletal and psychological functioning.A retrospective audit of inpatient and outpatient medical records was conducted. A total of 125 patients treated with veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for primary respiratory failure were included. The patients were young (mean (standard deviation) age 43.7 (4.1) years), obese (mean (standard deviation) body mass index 30.8 (10.4) kg/m2), and mostly were male (59%). Most patients (60%) had no comorbidities.The survival rate to discharge was 70%, with body mass index and the number of comorbidities being independent predictors of survival on multiple logistic regression analysis. Over half (57%) of the Australian survivors had regular outpatient follow-up. They had a median of three reviews (range 1-9) over a median of 11.8 months (range 1.5-79) months. Breathlessness and weakness resolved in most within six months, with lung function abnormalities taking longer to resolve. Over half (60%) returned to employment within six months of discharge. Over a quarter (29%) displayed symptoms of anxiety, depression or post-traumatic stress disorder.

Silent brain infarcts and early cognitive outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve implantation: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Silent brain infarcts (SBIs) are frequently identified after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), when patients are screened with diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI). Outside the cardiac literature, SBIs have been correlated with progressive cognitive dysfunction; however, their prognostic utility after TAVI remains uncertain. This study's main goals were to explore (i) the incidence of and potential risk factors for SBI after TAVI; and (ii) the effect of SBI on early post-procedural cognitive dysfunction (PCD). METHODS AND RESULTS: A systematic literature review was performed to identify all publications reporting SBI incidence, as detected by DW-MRI after TAVI. Silent brain infarct incidence, baseline characteristics, and the incidence of early PCD were evaluated via meta-analysis and meta-regression models. We identified 39 relevant studies encapsulating 2408 patients. Out of 2171 patients who underwent post-procedural DW-MRI, 1601 were found to have at least one new SBI (pooled effect size 0.76, 95% CI: 0.72-0.81). The incidence of reported stroke with focal neurological deficits was 3%. Meta-regression noted that diabetes, chronic renal disease, 3-Tesla MRI, and pre-dilation were associated with increased SBI risk. The prevalence of early PCD increased during follow-up, from 16% at 10.0 ± 6.3 days to 26% at 6.1 ± 1.7 months and meta-regression suggested an association between the mean number of new SBI and incidence of PCD. The use of cerebral embolic protection devices (CEPDs) appeared to decrease the volume of SBI, but not their overall incidence. CONCLUSIONS: Silent brain infarcts are common after TAVI; and diabetes, kidney disease, and pre-dilation increase overall SBI risk. While higher numbers of new SBIs appear to adversely affect early neurocognitive outcomes, long-term follow-up studies remain necessary as TAVI expands to low-risk patient populations. The use of CEPD did not result in a significant decrease in the occurrence of SBI.