Trombosis aórtica en tres pacientes con COVID-19 / Aortic thrombosis in three patients with COVID-19

Resumen En el curso de la pandemia por COVID-19, se ha observado un aumento de casos de patología trombótica, particularmente en pacientes que cursan con neumonías y formas graves de la enfermedad. Con mayor frecuencia se ha descrito la trombosis venosa profunda y el tromboembolismo pulmonar, no obstante, también se han reportado casos de trombosis aórtica y de otras arterias. La fisiopatología no es del todo conocida, pudiendo explicarse por la influencia de múltiples factores. Este artículo presenta tres casos clínicos de trombosis aórtica y revisa la literatura en materia del estado procoagulante asociado a la infección por COVID-19.

In the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, an increase in cases of thrombotic pathology has been observed, particularly in patients who present with pneumonia and severe forms of the disease. Deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary thromboembolism have been more frequently described. However cases of thrombosis affecting aorta and other arteries have also been reported. Its pathophysiology is not entirely known and could be explained by the influence of multiple factors. This article presents three clinical cases of aortic thrombosis and reviews the literature on the procoagulant state associated with COVID-19 infection.

Fístula aorto-duodenal primaria: caso clínico / Primary aorto-duodenal fistula: clinical case

Resumen Introducción Las fístulas aorto-entéricas (FAE) son una causa infrecuente de hemorragia digestiva. El pronóstico, generalmente ominoso, depende de una alta sospecha clínica y diagnóstico oportuno. Caso clínico Reportamos el caso de una mujer de 66 años intervenida por un aneurisma sacular aórtico abdominal (AAA) yuxtarrenal, con rotura contenida, fistulizado al duodeno. Presentó una hemorragia digestiva en el preoperatorio; sin embargo, el diagnóstico de la fístula se hizo en el intraoperatorio. La paciente fue sometida a reparación quirúrgica urgente con instalación de una prótesis aórtica bifemoral y resección duodenal. En el postoperatorio inmediato presentó una trombosis parcial de las ramas de la prótesis aórtica e isquemia de extremidades, siendo reintervenida exitosamente. Discusión La FAE es una causa potencialmente fatal de hemorragia digestiva. El diagnóstico continúa siendo un desafío debido a su presentación inespecífica y siempre debiese ser considerado frente a una hemorragia digestiva sin causa aparente. Existen varias opciones para el enfrentamiento quirúrgico que deben ser analizadas caso a caso, sin retrasar la reparación de la fístula. Es preferible la resección duodenal ante la simple duodenorrafia.

Introduction Aorto-enteric fistulae (AEF) are a rare cause of gastrointestinal bleeding. The prognosis tends to be ominous, depending greatly in a high level of clinical suspicion and prompt diagnosis. Clinical case We report a case of a 66-year-old female with a saccular juxta-renal abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), with a contained rupture. The patient was urgently submitted to surgical repair using an bifemoral aortic prosthesis. A duodenal partial resection was performed. During the immediate postoperative time she presented partial thrombosis of prosthesis and ischemia of lower extremities so she was reoperated successfully. Discussion AEF is a potentially fatal cause of gastrointestinal bleeding. Diagnosis is still troublesome due to its vague presentation and it should always be considered when facing gastrointestinal haemorrhage with no apparent cause. There are several surgical approaches that should be pondered case to case without delaying the repair of the defect.

Double aortic arch as a source of airway obstruction in a child.

Double aortic arch (DAA) is a congenital vascular anomaly. The diagnosis was difficult till the child was symptomatic, and other causes were ruled out. We present the interesting images of a child of respiratory distress because of tracheal compression from DAA.

Acute myocardial infarction caused by a floating thrombus in the proximal ascending aorta

No abstract available.

Síndrome de platipneia-ortodeóxia em aorta ectásica: relato de caso e revisão da literatura / Platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome in patients presenting enlarged aortic root: case report and literature review

Descrevemos aqui o caso de um paciente que, ao assumir posições de ortostatismo, apresentava hipoxemia e disfunção ventilatória grave. Embora a gravidade dos sintomas tenha determinado a necessidade de internação em ambiente de terapia intensiva, os exames iniciais identificaram apenas a presença de ectasia da aorta, sem, no entanto, justificar o quadro. A associação dessas manifestações a uma etiologia incomum, o shunt intracardíaco, caracterizou o diagnóstico da síndrome de platipneia-ortodeóxia. A revisão da literatura demonstra que, com o avanço dos métodos de investigação, houve progressivo aumento na identificação desse quadro, devendo essa associação fazer parte do diagnóstico diferencial de dispneia em pacientes com aorta ectásica.

We describe herein a case of a patient who, when in orthostatic positions, had severe hypoxemia and ventilatory dysfunction. Although the severity of symptoms required hospitalization in an intensive care setting, the initial tests only identified the presence of enlarged aortic root, which did not explain the condition. The association of these events with an unusual etiology, namely intracardiac shunt, characterized the diagnosis of platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome. The literature review shows that, with advancing research methods, there was a progressive increase in the identification of this condition, and this association should be part of the differential diagnosis of dyspnea in patients with enlarged aortic root.

Úlcera penetrante de aorta com evolução atípica / Penetrating aortic ulcer with atypical development

A úlcera penetrante de aorta é uma variante da dissecção aórtica clássica que apresenta características histopatológicas peculiares. Estas lesões se desenvolvem a partir de placas ateromatosas ulceradas que se estendem através da íntima. O reparo endovascular é considerado uma alternativa segura e menos invasiva; no entanto, o manejo desta enfermidade ainda constitui um desafio para o cirurgião. Objetivo: Relatar o caso de um paciente do sexo masculino, 61 anos, portador de úlcera de aorta torácica que evoluiu com perfuração e dissecção aórtica, a qual se manteve tamponada durante 13 meses, até o seu tratamento definitivo. Método: As informações necessárias foram obtidas por meio de revisão de prontuário, entrevista com o paciente e registro fotográfico de métodos de diagnóstico por imagem aos quais o paciente foi submetido. Considerações finais: O paciente, embora tardiamente, foi submetido com sucesso ao tratamento endovascular de úlcera penetrante de aorta e evoluiu sem intercorrências graves durante e após o procedimento terapêutico. Cada vez mais casos bem-sucedidos de tratamento endovascular de úlceras e outras doenças da aorta vêm sendo relatados e parece haver uma expectativa da comunidade médica de que, em breve, esta modalidade se firme como o padrão no tratamento destas enfermidades

The penetrating aortic ulcer is a particular variety of the classic aortic dissection with peculiar histological findings. These lesions develop from ulcerating atheromatous plaques that extend through the intima. The endovascular procedure is considered a safe and less invasive method of treatment, but the management of this disease is still seen as a challenge for the surgeon. Aim: To relate a case of a male patient of 61 years old that had an aortic ulcer witch has suffered perforation and produced an aortic dissection. The aortic perforation remained stable during 13 months until the patient has received the definitive treatment. Method: The necessary data was obtained by medical chart review, interview with the patient and photographic register of the image diagnose exams that were performed. Final considerations: The patient, even through with delay, was successful submitted to endovascular treatment for penetrating aortic ulcer and has suffered no severe complications during and after the procedure. Recently more and more well-succeed cases of encovascular treatment for the penetrating ulcer and other pathologies of the aorta have been described and it seems to exist an expectance of the medical community that, shortly, this modality will be recognized as the gold standard to manage these diseases

Diagnóstico ecocardiográfico de janela aorto-pulmonar e interrupção de arco aórtico / Echocardiographic diagnosis of aortopulmonary window and interrupted aortic arch

A janela aorto-pulmonar é uma cardiopatia rara, com incidência em torno de 0,2 por cento, caracterizada pela comunicação entre a aorta ascedente e a artéria pulmonar, na presença de duas valvas semilunares individualizadas. A associação com interrupção do arco aórtico é a mais comum. No entanto, a experiência acumulada é limitada a relatos de casos. O ecocardiograma é um exame de investigação anatômica preciso e, em decorrência de sua não-invasibilidade, permanece como o método diagnóstico de escolha.

Idiopathic neonatal aortic thrombosis.

We report a term neonate with severe aortic thrombosis involving the aorto-iliac segment and leading to renal failure. This patient did not have any predisposing risk factors. The authors have also reviewed the literature on neonatal aortic thrombosis and discuss the need for evolving evidence based consensus guidelines for management of this catastrophe.

Detección de Chlamydia pneumoniae en tejido aórtico humano: amplificación del gen kdtA e hibridación in vitro / Detection of Chlamydia pneumoniae in human aortic tissue: kdtA gene amplification and in vitro hybridization

Introducción. La ateroesclerosis es la principal causa de enfermedad coronaria y cerebrovascular, las cuales, a su vez, son las causas más comunes de mortalidad y morbilidad n el mundo occidental. Publicaciones recientes sugieren que ciertos microorganismos infecciosos podrían jugar un papel importante en la génesis y progresión de la aterosclerosis. De acuerdo con reportes seroepidemiológicos y de detección directa, Chlamydia pneumoniae podría ser el candidato más plausible. No obstante, no se ha determinado su papel específico en el proceso aterogénico, por lo cual en los últimos años ha surgido la necesidad de explorar diversas técnicas de detección de C. pneumoniae en arterias. Objetivo. El propósito de este estudio fue investigar la presencia de C. pneumoniae en muestras de tejido aórtico de catorce pacientes sometidos a cirugía de reemplazo aórtico, utilizando la amplificación del gen kdtA por PCR acoplada a un ensayo de hibridación in vitro. Materiales y métodos. De cada uno de catorce segmentos de aorta se obtuvo una muestra al azar para la extracción de ADN y la detección de C. pneumoniae por PCR-hibridación in vitro. Resultados. Doce (85,7 por ciento) de catorce muestras de tejido de aorta resultaron positivas para C. pneumoniae. Conclusión. Los resultados encontrados en este estudio sugieren que la presencia de C. pneumoniae es frecuente en el tipo de muestras analizado. En estudios posteriores resultaría importante examinar si esta proporción se mantiene en una muestra poblacional mayor

The correlation of left ventricular hypertrophy with the severity of atherosclerosis and embolic events.

OBJECTIVE: The study was undertaken to assess the correlation between the presence and degree of aortic atheroma with degree of Left ventricular (LV) mass index and subsequent clinical outcomes. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The authors studied the clinical profiles of 87 patients with aortic atherosclerosis and controls, who had undergone TEE between 1995 and 2000. RESULTS: Mean LV mass index was 116 gram/m2 in atherosclerosis group compared to 81 gram/m2 in the control group (p < 0.009). In the atherosclerotic group, there was a close correlation between LV mass index score and severity of the plaque in the aortic arch and descending aorta (p < 0.001, 0.001). The presence of large ulcerated plaque had a significant correlation with stroke (p < 0.002). CONCLUSION: 1) LV mass index correlates with the severity of aortic atheroma. 2) Smoking, elevated mean arterial blood pressure and a high LV mass index score are significantly correlated with large ulcerated plaque and stroke. 3) These findings may in part explain the higher cardiovascular risk in patients with increased left ventricular mass.

Aortoesophageal fistula: a life-threatening cause of upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage in double aortic arch, a case report.

The authors present the case of a 2-month-old infant with double aortic arch that developed massive bright red upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage from aortoesophageal fistula (AEF) after prolonged endotracheal and nasogastric intubation. Emergency thoracotomy with AEF and double aortic arch repaired were done successfully under cardiopulmonary bypass. Due to tracheomalacia and left phrenic nerve injury, tracheal extubation could not be done until 1 month after correction of the vascular ring. The endotracheal and nasogastric tube led to fistula formation by compression of the esophageal wall against an abnormal double aortic arch. When a double aortic arch is suspected, prolonged nasogastric intubation should be avoided.

Vascular rings: an important cause of persistent respiratory symptoms in infants and children.

OBJECTIVE: To study the pattern of symptomatic vascular rings in infants and children with particular reference to clinical features, investigations and management. SETTING: Tertiary Care Paediatric Cardiology Division at the Royal Hospital, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman. DESIGN: Retrospective study. METHODS: Data on all patients aged less than 13 years diagnosed to have symptomatic vascular rings at the Royal Hospital, Muscat, Oman from 1992 to 2001 were retrieved from hospital records. RESULTS: Sixteen patients, 8 males and 8 females, aged 15 days to 36 months were identified, and included 12 with double aortic arch and 4 with right aortic arch, aberrant left subclavian artery and ligamentum arteriosum. Associated intracardiac defects were not found in any. Noisy breathing (7/16), stridor (6/16), respiratory distress (5/16) and recurrent respiratory infections (5/16) were the common modes of presentation. The duration from onset of symptoms to diagnosis ranged from 3 weeks to 24 months. Besides suggestive clinical features, the diagnosis was suspected from the chest radiograph (presence of right aortic arch) in 7 patients and from 2-Dimensional echocardiography and Doppler studies in 5 patients. Barium swallow studies, however, documented the abnormal esophageal indentation in all the 16 patients. Confirmatory imaging techniques included digital subtraction angiography in 7/16, cardiac catheterization and angiography in 5/16, and CT and MRI of the chest in 2 each. All 16 patients underwent successful surgical repair, and 13/16 became asymptomatic. 3 patients continued to suffer from occasional respiratory infections. CONCLUSIONS: A high index of clinical suspicion coupled with the use of barium oesophagraphy enabled early diagnosis in patients with symptomatic vascular rings, and surgical repair could be performed successfully in all patients.

Cervical Epidural Abscess Secondary to Aorto-Duodenal Fistula: A Case Report

Although cervical epidural abscess is rare, it should be strongly suspected in any patient with unexplainable neck pain and fever, especially when the patient has a predisposing factor for this infectious process. The authors report a case of cervical epidural abscess in a 39-yr-old man with an aorto-duodenal fistula, which complicated the interposition of artificial graft for abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture, which had undertaken 40 months before. Timely detection and intervention rendered him a full neurological recovery. This extremely rare case is presented with a literature review.

Clinical features of cardioembolic strokes identified by transesophageal echocardiography.

Clinical and CT scan features predictive of a cardiac source of embolism (CSOE) are helpful in planning appropriate investigations in ischaemic strokes. The currently described predictors of CSOE were determined before the availability of trans esophageal echocardiography (TEE). After the advent of TEE, many new CSOE were discovered. The present study was planned to investigate if the previously described predictors of CSOE are also valid for patients with CSOE detectable only with TEE (TEE-detected CSOE). From 1992-1995, 485 consecutive patients of ischemic stroke were enrolled in the Maryland Stroke Data Bank (MSDB). Patients with CSOE identified only by TEE and not by clinical, electrocardiographic or transthoracic echocardiographic (TTE) examination were compared to patients with a CSOE with respect to the features of the history, neurologic examination and CT scan. Of 485 patients with cerebral infarction, 132 (27%) patients had CSOE. In 21/132 (16%), diagnosis of high risk CSOE could be established only by TEE. The most discriminating clinical findings in TEE-detected CSOE patients were visual field deficit (OR 2.9; 95% CI, 1.1-7.4) and neglect (OR 3.4; 95% CI,1.2-9.3). Less strong associations were also found with other clinical features described previously for CSOE. No significant differences were found for features of the initial CT scan. In summary, presence of visual field defect and hemineglect may suggest a higher likelihood of finding a CSOE by TEE, even if the clinical cardiac examination and TTE are normal.