Left Ventricular Intramyocardial Dissecting Hematomas.

Intramyocardial dissection is a rare complication of myocardial infarction, trauma, and percutaneous intervention. It is usually caused by hemorrhagic dissection among the spiral myocardial fibers. We hereby report the case of a patient with left ventricular intramyocardial dissection who presented with acute decompensated heart failure. (Level of Difficulty: Advanced.).

The impact of COVID19 nationwide lock-down on STEMI hospitalization and outcomes in South India.

Covid-19 Nationwide lockdown for social containment was implemented on the 23rd of March 2020. The objective of this study was to look at the impact of lockdown on STEMI (<24hrs window period). This study was done in 2 phases, 43 days before (phase1) and 43 days during lockdown (phase 2). During the lockdown, there was a 31% decrease in hospital admission rates, 11.5% and 9.38% proportional increase in diabetics and hypertensive patients presenting with STEMI. The public must be educated about the existing important health problems in the community along with the pandemic warnings.

A randomized placebo-controlled trial with amiodarone for persistent atrial fibrillation in rheumatic mitral stenosis after successful balloon mitral valvuloplasty.

OBJECTIVE: Atrial fibrillation is the most common sustained arrhythmia in patients with rheumatic heart disease (RHD). This study was conducted to determine the maintenance of sinus rhythm with amiodarone therapy following DC cardioversion (DCCV), early after successful balloon mitral valvuloplasty (BMV). METHODS: Patients were randomized to amiodarone group and placebo group and their baseline characteristics were recorded. DCCV was done 48h after BMV. After cardioversion, oral amiodarone was started initially 200mg three times a day for 2 weeks, then 200mg twice daily for two weeks followed by 200mg once daily for 12 months. Patients in placebo group received DCCV alone without preloading amiodarone. After DCCV, they were given placebo for 12 months. RESULTS: The 3 months follow-up period was completed by 77 patients (95%). Of them, 31 (77.5%) patients in amiodarone group and 14 (34.1%) in placebo group remained in sinus rhythm (SR). The 12 months follow-up period was completed by 73 patients (90.1%). Of them, 22 (55%) patients in amiodarone group and 7 (17.1%) in placebo group remained in SR. CONCLUSION: We conclude that amiodarone is more effective than placebo in maintenance of SR at the end of 3 months following successful cardioversion and more patients continued to remain in SR even at the end of 12 months without major serious adverse effects.

Incidence and predictors of atrial septal defect after percutaneous transvenous mitral commissurotomy - a transesophageal echocardiographic study of 209 cases.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of atrial septal defect (ASD) after percutaneous transvenous mitral commissurotomy (PTMC) ranges from 15.2% to 92% in small studies. AIM: To estimate the incidence of atrial septal defect (ASD) following PTMC and to determine the factors contributing to its development. METHODS: We studied 209 patients with mitral stenosis (MS) undergoing PTMC. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) with color Doppler examination was performed to detect ASD. RESULTS: TEE demonstrated ASD in 139 (66.5%) of 209 patients. The mean diameter of the interatrial septal defect detected by TEE was 4.47 ± 1.7 mm. The most common site of septal puncture was the inferior vena caval side of the interatrial septum followed by fossa ovalis. Color flow imaging across the defect showed left to right shunting in all the patients (100%). We examined the relationship of age, Wilkins score, left atrial volumes, the mitral valve orifice area, mitral valve gradient, and the degree of mitral and tricuspid regurgitation between the group that developed ASD and the group without ASD and found that none of these factors predicted the development of ASD. A residual ASD was seen in 11 patients (8.7%) at 6-month follow-up. CONCLUSION: Incidence of residual atrial septal defect immediately following PTMC by TEE color flow Doppler imaging is 66.5%. Surrogate markers of elevated left atrial pressures do not determine the development of atrial septal defect after PTMC. The majority of the defects close spontaneously and a residual defect is observed in 8.7% patients at 6 months.

Incidence and predictors of left atrial thrombus in patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis and sinus rhythm: a transesophageal echocardiographic study.

BACKGROUND: Rheumatic mitral stenosis (MS) predisposes to left atrial (LA) thrombus formation. The reported incidence of LA clot formation in sinus rhythm (SR) is 2.4-13.5% in small studies. AIM: To determine the incidence of LA thrombus in MS in SR in a large cohort of patients and to determine the factors that predict its development. METHODS: Total of 848 consecutive patients with MS in SR who were being evaluated for percutaneous transvenous mitral commisurotomy were included in the study. Both transthoracic (TTE) and transesophageal echocardiograms (TEE) were performed to identify clot and other hemodynamic parameters. RESULTS: The mean age of the study population was 34 ± 9 years and the mean mitral orifice area was 0.78 ± 0.18 cm(2). Out of 848 patients 56 (6.6%) had LA thrombus on TEE. On univariate analysis there was a trend toward thrombus formation in individuals with age >44 years, LA inferosuperior dimension >6.9 cm, mean mitral gradient >18 mmHg and dense spontaneous echo contrast (SEC). On multivariate analysis none of the factors predicted clot formation. CONCLUSION: The incidence of LA thrombus in MS in SR is 6.6%. TEE is warranted in MS patients in SR when they are >44 years, LA inferosuperior dimension >6.9 cm and mean mitral gradient >18 mmHg. When SEC is absent on TEE, thrombus formation is unlikely.