Repair of iatrogenic pulmonary vein occlusion with a vascularized atrial flap.

Pulmonary vein obstruction is a rare condition, most commonly reported following pulmonary vein catheter ablation for atrial arrhythmia. This novel technique for treatment of pulmonary venous obstruction has the advantage of utilizing an autologous vascularized flap with intact endothelium for reconstruction of the pulmonary vein and to prevent restenosis.

Intracardiac abscess with cutaneous fistula secondary to ventricular septal defect repair simulating sternal wound infection.

Cutaneous fistula as a clinical presentation of intracardiac abscess of the right side is such an unusual occurrence that it has not until now been reported in the English-language medical literature. We present a rare case of right-sided infective endocarditis caused by Achromobacter xylosoxidans in which recurrent infection presented as sternal wound discharge. The infection was found to have an intracardiac origin and was successfully managed by radical débridement on cardiopulmonary bypass.