Retroperitoneal hematoma in patients undergoing cardiac catheterization.

OBJECTIVE: To retrospectively study demographic, clinical and hospital outcomes in patients who developed RPH following cardiac catheterization. METHODS: Charts of patients with RPH from cardiac catheterization, between January 1, 2000 and July 30, 2005 were reviewed and compared with two control groups (Grp-I, 90 patients with local groin complications and Grp-II, 98 patients with no bleeding complications). RESULTS: 31 cases of RPH (0.13%) were identified with 84% females. Most common presentation was hypotension (87%) and hemoglobin drop (96%). CT scan was the diagnostic modality in 93% cases. The mean body surface area in RPH group (1.77 ± .23) was significantly lower than in control group I (1.93 ± .28) and II (1.98 ± .27). The use of larger sheath size was significantly higher in the RPH group (61.3%) than control groups I (26.7%) and II (21.4%). Left groin access was significantly more in RPH group (16.1%) and control group I (17.8) than control group II (0%). The use of antiplatelets and anticoagulants were significantly higher in the RPH group. 13% of patients with RPH were treated surgically. The average hospital stay was 8.6 days, 4.5 days and 3.5 days and mortality 12.9%, 3.3% and 1% in RPH group, control group I and II respectively. CONCLUSION: Our study is the second largest series of RPH following cardiac catheterization and predicts female gender, large sheath size, left groin access and low body surface area as risk factors for RPH.

Postpartum ovarian vein thrombosis presenting as ureteral obstruction.

Ovarian vein thrombosis (OVT) is a relatively uncommon but serious postpartum complication. Although infrequent, OVT may progress to involve the inferior vena cava, the renal vein or may cause sepsis and septic pulmonary embolism, all of which are potentially life-threatening. Clinical misdiagnosis is common, and, unfortunately, most affected women undergo laparotomy for possible appendicitis. We present an interesting case of OVT presenting as ureteral obstruction in a postpartum woman who was in her early 20s. Knowledge of this entity and clinical suspicion for its occurrence, in a puerperal patient with fever and abdominal pain not responding to antibiotics, should guide clinicians to appropriate diagnosis and treatment, avoiding misdiagnosis, unnecessary laparotomy and potential complications.

Acute aortic dissection.

Acute aortic dissection is an uncommon but potentially catastrophic illness with high mortality. Significant advances in the understanding, diagnosis, and management have been made since the first reported case of aortic dissection 3 centuries ago. This comprehensive review discusses the pathophysiology, classification, clinical manifestations, early diagnosis, and management of this important cardiovascular emergency.

Conversion of atrial fibrillation to sinus rhythm during treatment with intravenous esmolol or diltiazem: a prospective, randomized comparison.

Prior studies have suggested that intravenous diltiazem reduces the probability of spontaneous conversion of atrial fibrillation (AF) to sinus rhythm in the electrophysiology laboratory and in patients with postoperative AF. Whether diltiazem exerts the same effect in patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with spontaneous AF is unclear. Fifty patients presenting to the ED with new-onset or paroxysmal AF and a rapid ventricular rate (>100 beats per minute) were randomly assigned to receive intravenous diltiazem or esmolol during the first 24 hours of presentation. Conversion to sinus rhythm occurred in 10 patients (42%) in the diltiazem group compared with 10 patients (39%) in the esmolol group (P = 1.0). Diltiazem does not decrease the likelihood of spontaneous conversion of AF to sinus rhythm in the ED setting.

Epidemiology and clinical outcomes of infective endocarditis in hemodialysis patients.

BACKGROUND: Infective endocarditis is one of the most serious complications of bacteremia in patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis and is more frequent than previously recognized. The aim of our study was to describe the clinical characteristics, outcome, and factors predicting mortality of infective endocarditis in hemodialysis patients. METHODS: In this retrospective review, all patients on chronic hemodialysis admitted to a 600-bed urban teaching hospital with infective endocarditis over a 15-year period (1990 to 2004), were identified using discharge codes. Modified Duke criteria were retrospectively applied, and patients fulfilling the criteria for definite endocarditis were included in the study. RESULTS: Sixty-nine patients on hemodialysis with definite endocarditis were identified. The predominant type of vascular access was double-lumen catheter (66.7%). The mean duration of dialysis was 37 +/- 32 months. The predominant organism was Staphylococcus aureus (57.9%), of which 57.5% were methicillin susceptible. The most frequently infected valve was mitral (49.3%), followed by aortic (21.7%) and tricuspid (10.1%) valves. The cardiac and neurologic complication rates were 40.6% and 37.7%, respectively. Fifteen patients underwent valvular heart surgery. The overall in-hospital mortality was 49.3% (34 of 69). More patients who had surgery survived than patients who did not (12 of 15 versus 23 of 54; p = 0.018, odds ratio = 5.39, 95% confidence interval: 1.3 to 17.6). On logistic regression, valve surgery was the only independent factor predicting survival (p = 0.023). CONCLUSIONS: The prognosis of infective endocarditis in hemodialysis patients is poor, with surgery serving as an independent predictor of survival.

Usefulness of clinical evaluation, troponins, and C-reactive protein in predicting mortality among stable hemodialysis patients.

This study prospectively examined the hypothesis that dividing stable dialysis patients into different clinical subsets by presence or absence of coronary disease equivalent will lead to clearer risk stratification by abnormal troponins and highly sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). Patients with end-stage renal disease have an annual mortality of 18%. Previous studies have shown that elevated cardiac troponins T and I and hs-CRP predict increased mortality, although these studies have not taken clinical parameters into account. Stable patients with end-stage renal disease (n = 173) were divided into 2 groups: 115 patients with coronary disease equivalent (known coronary or peripheral vascular disease or diabetes mellitus) and 58 patients without it. The 2 groups were then stratified by biomarkers (cardiac troponins T and I and hs-CRP) and followed for 27 months. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality. Patients with coronary disease equivalent had twofold greater annual mortality than those without (20.4% vs 9.8%, p = 0.003). Among patients with coronary disease equivalent, those with elevated troponins had a further increase in the risk for death relative to patients with normal troponins (25% vs 9% with cardiac troponin I elevation, p <0.001; 24% vs 12% with cardiac troponin T elevation, p = 0.04). hs-CRP did not add to the risk stratification of patients with coronary disease equivalent. Conversely, in patients without coronary disease equivalent, neither troponin further predicted the risk for death. In the small subset of patients without coronary disease equivalent who had hs-CRP >or=3 mg/L, mortality was significantly increased (p = 0.01). In conclusion, initial clinical assessment, followed by the addition of biomarkers, can be used to risk-stratify stable patients with end-stage renal disease.

Peduncular hallucinosis: unusual complication of cardiac catheterization.

Peduncular hallucinosis (PH) is a rare form of visual hallucination characterized by vivid, nonstereotypical visual images of people, animals, and plants of brief duration that are nonthreatening to the patient. The clinical syndrome of PH consists of formed visual hallucinations, localizing signs of the offending lesion, and sleep disturbances. In the absence of localizing focal neurologic deficits, it is easily confused with a delirium or psychosis. It is seen with lesions involving the upper brainstem and diencephalon. The authors report a case of PH due to ischemic infarction of the midbrain after cardiac catheterization. Although PH has been reported after vertebral angiography, it has never been reported as a complication of cardiac catheterization.

Severe and disabling diabetic autonomic neuropathy: a case report.

We report a case of a woman with several and severe disabling manifestations of autonomic neuropathy in whom reasonable quality of life was established by combining continuous insulin infusion, jejunal feeding, colostomy and bladder self-catheterisation. We discuss the prevalence rates, pathophysiology, management and prognosis of this disabling condition.