Imágenes en endocarditis infecciosa: no todo es ecocardiografía / Imaging in infective endocarditis: not all is ultrasonography

Resumen La endocarditis infecciosa (EI) es una enfermedad de alta mortalidad, caracterizada por una infección endocárdica y frecuentes complicaciones multiorgánicas, que requiere un diagnóstico rápido y preciso, y un manejo agresivo, ya sea médico o quirúrgico. Su diagnóstico se realiza tomando en cuenta criterios bacteriológicos, clínicos y ecocardiográficos. Es objetivo de este artículo realizar una actualización del estudio imagenológico en paciente con EI, con especial énfasis en aquellos exámenes no ecocardiográficos disponibles en nuestro medio. En los últimos años, estudios de imagen avanzados han adquirido un rol creciente en su estudio inicial, particularmente la tomografía computada multicorte (TCMC) cardiaca y el positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT), y han sido recomendados como criterios diagnósticos en las guías recientes para el manejo de esta entidad. La TCMC cardiaca proporciona información anatómica detallada de las válvulas cardiacas y tejido perivalvular, identificando pseudoaneurismas, abscesos y dehiscencias valvulares. El PET/CT con F18-fluorodeoxiglucosa (F18-FDG) permite aumentar la sensibilidad en la detección de EI, y pesquisar con alta eficiencia fenómenos embólicos sistémicos, de elevada frecuencia en esta población. Ambos métodos prestan particular utilidad en EI de válvula protésica, donde la ecocardiografía presenta menor rendimiento diagnóstico. La resonancia magnética (RM) cerebral es el mejor método de imagen para descartar eventos isquémicos/embólicos del sistema nervioso central.

Abstract Infective endocarditis (IE) is an entity characterized by endocardial infection and frequent multiorgan complications, resulting in high mortality. It requires a rapid and accurate diagnosis, and a medical or surgical aggressive treatment. Currently, IE diagnosis rests on bacterial, clinical and ultrasonographic criteria. The objective of this article is to update the imaging study in patients with IE, with special emphasis on those non-echocardiographic examinations available in our environment. Last years, advanced imaging had achieved a growing role in IE diagnosis, especially cardiac multislice computed tomography (MSCT) and positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT), which have been recommended in recent clinical guidelines to be included as part of diagnostic criteria. Cardiac MSCT provides detailed anatomic information of cardiac valves and perivalve tissue, allowing identification of pseudoaneurysm, abscess and valve dehiscence. F18-FDG PET/CT increases sensitivity for IE detection and shows high accuracy in searching for extracranial systemic embolic events. Both MSCT and PET/CT have particular utility in cases of prosthetic valve endocarditis, where cardiac ultrasonography shows lower performance. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the best imaging method for evaluating ischemic/embolic events of central nervous system.

Manejo de la terapia anticoagulante durante el embarazo / Management of anticoagulant therapy during pregnancy

Resumen El embarazo se asocia con 5 a 10 veces mayor riesgo de enfermedad tromboembólica venosa, convirtiéndose en un escenario particular y complejo para la anticoagulación dada la necesidad de seguridad fetal y limitada representación en estudios de eficacia disponibles. Durante la gestación existen tres principales situaciones clínicas: la enfermedad tromboembólica venosa sin factor de riesgo precipitante, el síndrome antifosfolípido y las portadoras de válvulas mecánicas protésicas; todas con un alto riesgo de complicaciones materno-fetales, por lo que es vital conocer los anticoagulantes disponibles para cada patología, su evidencia científica, eventos adversos y características farmacológicas con el fin de realizar el mejor abordaje terapéutico y disminuir complicaciones asociadas. El objetivo es describir los avances de los anticoagulantes en escenarios clínicos de mayor impacto antes de la concepción, durante el embarazo y postparto y servir de herramienta con el fin de realizar el mejor abordaje terapéutico y disminuir complicaciones asociadas. MÉD.UIS.2020;33(2):65-73.

Abstract Pregnancy is associated with a 5 to 10-fold increased risk of venous thromboembolic disease, making it a complex setting for anticoagulation, given the need for fetal safety and limited representation in available efficacy studies. During pregnancy there are three main clinical situations: venous thromboembolic disease without a precipitating risk factor, antiphospholipid syndrome and prosthetic mechanical valve carriers; all with a high risk of maternal-fetal complications, so it is vital to know the anticoagulants available for each pathology, their scientific evidence, adverse events and pharmacological characteristics in order to perform the best therapeutic approach and reduce associated complications. The objective is to describe the advances of anticoagulants in clinical scenarios of greater impact before conception, during pregnancy and postpartum and to serve as a tool in order to carry out the best therapeutic approach and reduce associated complications. MÉD.UIS.2020;33(2):65-73.

A Study Of The Dimensions Of The Human Tricuspid Valve

Background: With the advent of the prosthetic valves, which are being used by the cardiac surgeons to replacediseased or damaged valves, an accurate knowledge of the dimensions and size of the tricuspid valve will be ofimmense help. Surgical correction on the heart valves has given a new lease of life to patients. This study, so farhas been done mostly on the American and European races. Studies in the Indians, particularly South Indianshas been rare. Hence the present study.Materials and Methods: 96 hearts were studied which were collected from cadavers allotted to undergraduatestudents for dissection, over a period of time. Hearts were removed by dissection method. The circumference ofthe tricuspid valve was measured & the diameters of the tricuspid valve are measured in two separate dimensionsin two separate perpendicularly oriented planes at the maximally separated points which is described undermaterials & methods.Results: The results of the study are as follows: The dimensions of the tricuspid valve annulus range from 5.7 cm– 14.8 cm. No accessory leaflets were foundConclusions: The study of the dimensions of the tricuspid valve annulus dimensions is important for variouscardiac procedures. The knowledge of the annulus of the tricuspid valve is important for the cardiac surgeon intricuspid valve diseases like stenosis and regurgitation as it will help him plan palliative or corrective surgeryin the congenital or acquired heart diseases.

Live/Real Time Three-Dimensional Transesophageal Echocardiographic Evaluation of Mitral and Aortic Valve Prosthetic Paravalvular Regurgitation.

Thirteen patients already scheduled for surgery for repair of prosthetic paravalvular regurgitation underwent intraoperative real time two-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (2D TEE) and live/real time three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (3D TEE). In all patients, 3D TEE was able to provide more information regarding the location and size of the paravalvular defect as compared to 2D TEE. 3D TEE resulted in a more accurate localization of the defect and an estimation of the size of the defect that correlated much more closely with surgical findings when compared with 2D TEE. Our preliminary results demonstrate the superiority of 3D TEE over 2D TEE in the evaluation of paravalvular prosthetic regurgitation. 3D TEE not only provides an accurate assessment of the exact site of the leakage, but also gives a more accurate estimate of its size. This information could be valuable to surgeons who may encounter difficulty when localizing and estimating the size of paraprosthetic leaks while the heart is devoid of blood during surgery

Stroke as a Late Complication in Patients with Cardiac Prosthetic Valves

BACKGROUND: Information on the long-term fate of patients with prosthetic valve is limited. Cerebral embolism is a major cause of late morbidity and mortality in patients with prosthetic valves even though recent prostheses are less thrombogenic and anticoagulants are administered. We investigated the long-term risk of the first ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke and effect of presumed risk factors on the development of stroke in patients with prosthetic valves. METHODS: In a retrospective study, 554 patients who survived the 30-days after cardiac valve replacement between June, 1985 and May, 1995 were included. End points were attacks of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. Risk of stroke at end points was calculated according to Kaplan-Meier method. The influence of several clinical variables on these stroke events was analyzed by univariate and mutivariate analyses. RESULTS: Thirty seven of 554 patients had 42 stroke events(34 ischemic stroke, 8 hemorrhagic stroke) during follow-up periods(mean: 52.9months). Six of these patients died from stroke. The cumulative stroke-free probability was 92.4% at 5years and 87.7% at 10years. The cumulative ischemic stroke-free probability was 93.7% at 5years and 89.4% at 10years. No or irregular use of anticoagulants was the only significant independent predictor(RR:4.99, 95%CI:2.01-12.41, p<0.01) of ischemic stroke. The cumulative hemorrhagic stroke-free probability was 98.7% at 5years and 98.1% at 10years. CONCLUSION: Regardless of the type of prostheses, patients with prosthetic valves, notably those without anticoagulants, are at high risk for ischemic stroke.