Multimodality imaging in assessment of mitral valve tumors: An unusual papillary fibroelastoma?

Mitral valve masses are uncommon. These tumors and tumor-like lesions may have similar morphological and clinical characteristics, but different outcomes. Unlike valvular tumors, caseous calcification of the mitral annulus (CCMA) is a benign degenerative disorder, commonly misdiagnosed, thus differentiating it from other mitral valve masses is important to avoid unnecessary surgery. Multimodality imaging can prove a valuable tool for definitive diagnosis. We present a case of a 72-year-old female patient, with coronary artery disease, referred for angina symptoms. Echocardiography detected a mass in the mitral valve annulus. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging showed a mobile mass respecting the myocardium suggestion an atypical papillary fibroelastoma and surgery was indicated. However, the definitive diagnosis, after histological examination, was CCMA. The aim of this case report is to illustrate the difficulty in differentiating between mitral valve masses and the repercussion on the subsequent management, emphasizing the pivotal role of multimodality imaging.

Conservative Management of Suicide Left Ventricle After Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement.

Suicide left ventricle (SLV) remains an underdiagnosed cause of haemodynamic compromise following surgical or transcatheter aortic valve replacement (AVR). Risk factors include female sex and a small left ventricular cavity with asymmetric septal hypertrophy. We present the case of a 63-year-old woman, with a medical history of diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension and dyslipidaemia who was diagnosed with severe aortic stenosis with normal left ventricular ejection fraction and concentric hypertrophy. She underwent surgical AVR using a bioprosthetic valve, but a few hours after surgery, she developed sudden cardiogenic shock. An urgent transthoracic echocardiogram was performed showing marked systolic anterior motion of the mitral valve resulting in severe dynamic left ventricular outflow tract obstruction and intraventricular gradient. The diagnosis of SLV was made. The patient was managed conservatively with volume loading and oral beta-blockers and her haemodynamic state improved gradually. She was then discharged after favourable evolution. Medical management of SLV includes volume loading to expand the ventricular volume and beta-blockers for their negative inotrope effect. When medical therapy fails, surgical myectomy or alcohol septal ablation can be proposed to remove the obstacle. Some authors have proposed these procedures as prophylactic measures to prevent SLV in high-risk patients.

The silent invader: a case of intrapericardial hydatid cyst with exceptional pulmonary artery involvement.

A 70-year-old woman was referred to our cardiology department for the management of dyspnoea. Cardiovascular examination revealed a loud P2, with no sign of right-sided heart failure. Chest X-ray showed a convex left medium cardiac border and a double contour along the right cardiac border. Transthoracic echocardiogram revealed a cystic mass attached to the right ventricle apex. Computed tomography scan showed cyst with fluid density on the apex of the right ventricle; and a honeycomb-like aspect cyst with partial occlusion in the left pulmonary artery. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging revealed the presence of hydatic intrapericardial cyst that compresses the right ventricular apex; associated with intraluminal left pulmonary artery cyst. Hydatic serology was positive. The patient refused surgery and was discharged on a regimen of Albendazole. She has been followed up closely with a good outcome.

The national moroccan registry of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (MR-MI).

BACKGROUND: MR-MI is the first national Moroccan ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) registry. Its objectives are to assess patient management modalities and highlight the clinical and therapeutic characteristics of this pathology in all cardiology centres on a national scale. METHODS: Adult patients presenting with STEMI within 5 days of symptoms onset were enrolled over a period of 18 weeks from April to August 2018. 57 cardiology centres distributed in 22 cities in Morocco participated in the study, including 5 university hospitals, representing 70% of Moroccan centres managing STEMI patients. A case report form was sent to the investigators in both electronic and paper forms. Sociodemographic, clinical, management, revascularization, and follow-up data were collected. RESULTS: A total of 809 patients were recruited. The population was mostly male (74.8%) with an average age of 62.6 ± 11.6 years. The most common risk factors were smoking (38.3%) arterial hypertension (30.7%), and diabetes (28%). 30% of patients were admitted within the first 6 h of symptoms onset and early revascularization was performed on 49.6%. Mortality rate was 5.2% in-hospital and 3.2% at the one-month follow-up. CONCLUSION: MR-MI is the first Moroccan STEMI registry on a national scale. Relevant management delays are much longer than other countries, and less than 50% of the patients that present on time benefit from early revascularization. Efforts remain to be done on the optimal diagnosis and treatment of STEMI.

Double the Trouble - One Infarction After Another: A Case Report of Two Consecutive ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarctions in Two Different Coronary Arteries.

In multi-vessel coronary artery disease, concomitant ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in simultaneous two culprit lesions have been rarely reported. In this regard, the recurrence in a short period of time of a STEMI in a different coronary artery is also rare. We describe the case of a 56-year-old male smoker, who was presented with an anterior STEMI. The coronary angiography demonstrated a significant lesion in the left main coronary (LMC) and an occlusion of the left anterior descending artery (LAD), and was referred for surgery. Four days later, he experienced symptoms of acute ischemia of the inferior territory. A newly formed culprit lesion of the circumflex artery (Cx) was detected and benefited from angioplasty. The patient expired the next day from sudden arrythmia. This case report shows two consecutive STEMI situations in separate coronary arteries, which commonly can occur in atherosclerotic patients with very poor prognosis.

Giant circumflex artery with bilobed saccular aneurysm and right atrial fistula mimicking a bi-atrial hydatid cyst: a case report.

Coronary artery fistulas (CAF) are rare anomalies that pose a significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. Most of them originate from the right coronary artery and are congenital. They are often associated with coronary aneurysms. We report the case of a 38-year-old Black man who presented with exertion dyspnea. Transthoracic echocardiography found what was thought to be a bi-atrial hydatid cyst, alongside a right atrial shunt. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging showed a cystic lesion hypointense on T1 and T2 sequences, located next to the left atrium as well as an aneurysmal circumflex artery shunting in the right atrium. Coronary angiography and computed tomography angiography confirmed the bilobed circumflex saccular aneurysm and CAF. The patient underwent a successful surgery, which consisted of closure of the fistula using two patches. He was discharged after an uneventful postoperative course. Our case report illustrates the diagnostic difficulty of CAF and the importance of multimodal imaging.

Persistent left superior vena cava: Case report.

Persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) is a rare anomaly of the systemic venous circulation. We report the case of a 22-year-old female that had history of multiple repair surgeries for her esophageal atresia, as well as a right lobectomy for bronchiectasis 15 years prior. She was admitted to the surgical ward for complete resection of the right lung. A trans-thoracic echocardiography was performed as part of the pre-surgical work-up and it revealed a dilated coronary sinus which led us to suspect the presence of a PLSVC. The latter was confirmed by a simple "Bubble study" and confirmed by CT angiogram. We will discuss throughout this paper, the clinical and radiological features, as well as the embryology of this anomaly, so that the knowledge of the existence of this anatomical variant, especially if surgery or catheterization is at reach of the medical team, may lead to avoid serious complications.

[Superinfection of Libman-Sacks endocarditis in a lupus patient: a case report]. / Surinfection d'une endocardite de Libman-Sacks chez une patiente lupique: rapport de cas.

Libman-Sacks endocarditis is an uncommon cardiac manifestation of lupus, characterized by noninfective heart valve vegetations. Most patients are asymptomatic. However, clinical manifestations of acute forms can mimic infectious endocarditis and complicate both differential diagnosis and treatment. We here report the case of a 28-year-old female patient with lupus erythematosus followed up from 2018. She had signs and symptoms supporting the diagnosis of infective endocarditis. Assessments allowed for the diagnosis of superinfection Libman-Sacks endocarditis. The patient died despite the combination of bi-antibiotic therapy and corticosteroids.