Our data suggest that the presence of emboli detected by TEE in the right heart and pulmonary artery appears to derive principally from the reaming of the femoral canal and the placement of the femoral stem, particularly during the placement of cemented prostheses. However, the passage of embolic material had no adverse sequelae. For these reasons routine, intraoperative TEE cannot be recommended in orthopaedic surgery.
Key Clinical MessagePatients with reversible cardiac impairment may be, at least temporarily, at high risk of SCD and may go unprotected for considerable time. A less‐invasive definitive or bridge solution is the implantation of a subcutaneous cardioverter–defibrillator (S‐ICD). The less invasiveness of this procedure ensures easy removal of the system without exposing the patient to the risk of complications.
Background Radiotherapy plays a key role in the multimodality treatment of thoracic tumors. Radiotherapy-induced heart disease (RIHD) has become an increasingly recognized adverse reaction contributing to major radiation-associated toxicities, including nonmalignant death. Especially patients with diseases with excellent prognosis, such as breast cancer or Hodgkin's lymphoma, may suffer from delayed side effects 2-6 including RIHD in a dose-dependent manner. The pathological spectrum of RIHD includes conduction abnormalities, valvular disease, coronary artery disease, pericarditis and pericardial constriction or effusion, cardiomyopathy, and myocardial fibrosis. Here we describe the case of a young man cured of Hodgkin's lymphoma who presented to our laboratory with the diagnosis of suspected myocarditis in the Sars-COV 2 era, but the presenting clinical picture confused the clinicians and complex coronary artery disease was behind it. Method-Clinical Case A young 33-years-old man presented to the emergency room with typical exertional chest pain. Clinical history: smoker patient who denied familiarity for cardiovascular diseases, dyslipidemic, 10 years previously underwent chemotherapy and radiotherapy for Hodgkin's Lymphoma in complete remission. A nasopharyngeal molecular swab for Sars-COV 2 was performed, which was negative. The presentation electrocardiogram (EKG) documented nonspecific repolarization abnormalities; the myocardionecrosis enzyme curve performed at three times was frankly positive with elevated PCR values (102 pg/ml). Color Doppler echocardiography documented a left ventricular ejection fraction at the lower limits of normal, hypokinesia of the mid-basal segments of the infer-posterolateral wall with moderate mitral valve regurgitation. On suspicion of acute myocarditis, the patient was transferred to the Coronary Care Unit and, during admission, underwent MRI, which showed a slightly enlarged left ventricle (DTD 58 mm, EDV 147 ml), slightly depressed systolic function (LVEF 46%), akinesia of the proximal lateral and mid-proximal wall. In delayed enhancement sequences late persistence of gadolinium in the endomesocardium (60%), proximal lateral and mid-proximal wall with involvement of areas adjacent to the base of implantation of both papillary muscles. In light of the instrumental picture, the patient underwent coronarography, which showed an unexpected nightmare picture, given his young age. Circumflex branch (lcx-lesion culprit) suboccluded to the middle segment with TIMI I downstream flow at the bifurcation with a prominent obtuse marginal branch (OM) with a delayed reperfusion (Medina 1,1,1); diffusely atheromatous left anterior descending artery (LAD), showing 70% complex critical disease in the proximal segment at the bifurcation with a first diagonal branch of good caliber and good distribution area (Medina 1,1,1). Clinical resolution/Results Therefore, in a patient with misdiagnosed ACS-NSTEMI, two complex coronary bifurcation angioplasties according to TAP technique (Fig 3-4) were performed through left radial access with Slender 7 in 6 introducer at one time. The following drugs were administered in the cath-lab: Cangrelor bolus/kg followed by continuous infusion for 2 hours and Prasugrel 60 mg, initially UFH 5000 IU and anticoagulation control according to ACT during the procedure. The procedure ended with complete revascularization and asymptomatic patient. During the following days of hospitalization, no late electrical or mechanical complications occurred. Conclusions The one just described represents a complex and unexpected scenario for a young adult. The literature available has analyzed the pathophysiology of myocardial damage resulting from exposure to high amounts of radiation in patients undergoing curative radiotherapy for Hodgkin's lymphoma. It is now generally accepted that the most common clinical syndromes after irradiation are pericarditis in acute and chronic forms,. However, coronary vessel lesions have been considered exceptionally rare, so the true pathophysiological triggering mechanism is still poorly understood. The most widely accepted hypothesis on the onset of RICHD is a dual pathway of vascular damage ("two-hit combined hypothesis"). The most important preventive measure regarding RICHD is dose minimization. Few data are available in the literature on outcomes according to the revascularization strategy adopted in patients with RICHD (PCI vs. CABG). Morbidity and mortality from post-radiotherapy cardiovascular complications in patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma must be reduced through close cardiological surveillance in primary prevention and a close collaboration between oncologists and cardiologists in order to minimize any deleterious complications, especially in the young. Further research is needed to elucidate profibrotic mechanisms, identify promising therapies that can be implemented early during the course of treatment and to compare revascularization strategies with longer-term mortality in such patients, in order to guide the physicians in the decision-making.
Aims Heart rhythm disorders, both bradyarrhythmias and tachyarrhythmias, are the most frequently observed complication in the acute phase and after primary angioplasty in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). New onset atrial fibrillation (Afib) represents the most frequent arrhythmia found between 6% and 21% in patients with AMI and its onset increases the thromboembolic and mortality risk of all causes of those patients. Troponin levels measured with modern assays represent today the most specific cardiac biomarker of myocardial injury and its measurement represents the cornerstone for the diagnosis of AMI in accordance with the ESC Guidelines 2018; however, also Afib itself causes an increase in troponin values (troponinopathy). Therefore, the single biohumoral value cannot assume prognostic value in helping the clinician to recognize patients with AMI who are more predisposed to encounter Afib. So, the object of our evaluation was to support the elevated troponin values with echocardiographic biomarkers, such as the evaluation of the left atrial strain (LAS), to perform a more accurate stratification of the arrhythmic risk in patients with AMI. Methods and results A prospective multiparametric study was carried out at our Interventional Cardiology Hub Center. 240 patients with ACS-STEMI diagnosed were recruited over one year from March 2020 to March 2021. Patients included were all ≥18 (55 ± 23 y), predominantly male (88% male, 12% female). Exclusion criteria were: permanent atrial fibrillation; valvular heart disease (moderate or severe heart valve stenosis or valve replacement); implantation of a pacemaker or defibrillator; (4) poor image quality. Emergency coronary angiography (CAG) was carried out to execute primary percutaneous intervention (primary PCI with DES) on the culprit vessel. All patients underwent echocardiography by GE Vivid 80 (GE Ultrasound, Horten, Norway) in order to evaluate changes in segmental kinetics, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). The ratio of peak early filling velocity of mitral inflow to early diastolic annulus velocity (E′) of the medial annulus (E/E′) was calculated. Left atrial volumes (LAVi, ml/m2) and diameter were obtained through standard apical 4 and 2 chamber views with a frame-rate range of 40–71 frames/s; then, offline analysis of images was performed using EchoPAC version 201 (GE Vingmed Ultrasound) (VSSLV) software in order to calculate LAS for each one. Patients were subjected to serial sampling to evaluate temporally troponin values and the possible Afib appearance was recognized by telemetry monitoring. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 20 (IBM, Armonk, New York), continuous variables were expressed as mean ± standard deviation (SD). Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to assess the correlation between strain value, baseline characteristics and troponin levels. All statistical tests are two-sided, and a P-value < 0.05 is considered statistically significant. Two groups were recognized: high troponin levels with pathological LAS and new Afib (N = 47); medium-high troponin levels with normal LAS and no Afib (N = 143). Respectively, LAS were 8.4 ± 4.0% vs. 16 ± 4.5%, P < 0.001, LAVi 44 ± 5 ml/m2 vs. 30 ± 3.2, P = 0.001, and peak of troponin levels (3.45 ± 0.46 ng/ml vs. 2.34 ± 0.22 ng/ml, P = 0.002). Multivariate analysis identified that peak troponin levels alone wasn’t a prognostic index of increased arrhythmic burden, while the correlation between high peak levels and altered LAS were independent predictors of new AFib in AMI. Conclusions The evaluation of atrial dysfunction by new echo-derived parameters and its correlation with troponin values allows a more accurate stratification of arrhythmic risk in patients with ACS. The applicability of the obtained data would allow a more careful evaluation of the clinical trend and the prognostic outcome in the subcategory analysed. Therefore, the association between biohumoral and instrumental parameters could become new biomarkers capable of predicting an increase in thromboembolic risk in AMI patients. The creation of an app that takes into account the parameters listed could be a possible future support that can help the clinician calculate the increased risk rate of new Afib in patients with ACS.
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