No reflow phenomenon in CAD patients after percutaneous coronary intervention: A prospective hospital based observational study

The present study assessed incidence, risk factors, in-hospital and short-term outcomes associated with no-reflow in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in STEMI, NSTEMI, unstable angina and stable angina. Out of 449 patients, 42 (9.3%) developed no-reflow. Hypertension, dyslipidemia, obesity and smoking were significant risk factors. There was significant association of no-reflow with left main disease, multiple stents, target lesion length_x0001_ 20 mm and higher thrombus grade. Interestingly, 93 patients (23.4%) of normal flow had myocardial perfusion grade (MPG) of 0/1 with mortality in 9 (10%) patients. No-reflow is associated with poor in-hospital and short-term outcomes with higher incidence of death, cardiogenic shock, heart failure and MACE. Knowledge of risk factors of no-reflow portends a more meticulous approach to improve final outcomes. MPG could be better predictor of outcomes in these patients.

Pseudo-aneurysm of left ventricle presenting as non-resolving chronic pericardial effusion.

Left ventricular pseudo-aneurysm is a variation of left ventricular free wall rupture, in which collection of blood occurs in pericardial sac, through ventricular wall defect. In pseudo-aneurysm, blood from defect does not fill the entire pericardial sac. Instead, because of adhesions between ventricular wall and the sac, escaping blood is isolated to a localised area between wall and pericardium. Here a case of ventricular pseudo-aneurysm of late onset which behaved as non-resolving pericardial effusion is presented.

Right ventricular myocardial infarction: echocardiographic evidence among patients with inferior wall myocardial infarction.

Right ventricular myocardial infarction (RVMI) predominantly a complication of inferior wall myocardial infarction is a distinct clinical entity in which major hemodynamic disturbance may occur. Bedside hemodynamic measurement, electrocardiography, gated blood pool radionuclide angiography and echocardiography are used to identify right ventricular involvement in setting of inferior wall infarction. RVMI as assessed by various diagnostic methods accompanies 30 to 50% of inferior wall infarction. We studied 37 consecutive patients of acute inferior wall infarction (by non invasive method) to determine echocardiographic evidence of RVMI and compared its sensitivity to electrocardiography and clinical criteria. On echocardiography 12 out of 37 patients (32%) had right ventricular involvement. Kussmaul’s signs was present in 27% of the patients and it had sensitivity of 50%, specificity of 88% and predictive accuracy of 70%. Right sided precordial leads (V3R – V4R) on electrocardiography showed evidence of RVMI in 30% of patients with sensitivity, specificity and predictive accuracy of 67%, 88% and 73% respectively. Echocardiographic features included enlargement of right ventricle and hypokinesia or akinesia of right ventricular wall. Right ventricular dilatation and dysfunction is gained from relative right and left ventricular dimension on echocardiography. It is more sensitive and specific than clinical signs and ECG.