Familial cryptogenic stroke.

Familial cryptogenic stroke associated with atrial septal defect and patent foramen ovale is rare. The presence of a family history of cryptogenic stroke may lead to the requirement for careful follow-up for younger family members.

Percutaneous closure of severe calcified patent ductus arteriosus with two amplatzer devices.

An 89-year-old woman was referred for closure of a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). Contrast-computed tomography showed Krichenko type C PDA with severe calcification (Figure 1). Initial angiography revealed severe calcification of the PDA (Figure 2, Video 1), and the mid-ductus diameter was 6 mm and the ductus length was 14 mm..

Congenital abnormalities of heart and kidney.

Patients with congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) may be at risk for congenital cardiac defects or cardiomyopathies as comorbidities. It is crucial to recognize the coexistence of cardiac abnormalities and CAKUT and recommend screening for cardiac involvement in CAKUT patients using echocardiography.

Cyanosis in atrial septal defect with prominent crista terminalis.

Right-to-left shunt in atrial septal defect without pulmonary hypertension is a rare condition and can present with complications such as cyanosis. This is a rare case of cyanosis caused by right-to-left shunt atrial septal defect related to prominent crista terminalis.

Cryptogenic stroke caused by patent foramen ovale with thrombophilia and accessory tricuspid valve in a teenager.

Accessory tricuspid valve is rare congenital abnormality. We describe a case of cryptogenic stroke in teenager boy caused by patent foramen ovale with thrombophilia and accessory tricuspid valve.

Acute coronary syndrome of the left main coronary artery caused by a huge floating thrombus in the ascending aorta: a case report of intravascular ultrasound effectiveness.

BACKGROUND: Left main coronary artery (LMCA)-acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is a rare complication of a floating thrombus in the ascending aorta. However, diagnosing the aetiology of LMCA-ACS during an emergency situation is challenging. We present a rare case of LMCA-ACS caused by a large thrombus in the ascending aorta, confirmed by intravascular ultrasound (IVUS). CASE SUMMARY: A 90-year-old woman presented to the emergency department complaining of chest pain and syncope. On admission, her electrocardiogram showed normal sinus rhythm and a complete right bundle branch block with significant ST depression in the V3-V6 leads; hence, ACS was suspected. The first emergency angiogram of the left coronary artery showed filling defect in the proximal ascending aorta. IVUS revealed a large thrombus in the ascending aorta. The thrombus extended from the ascending aorta to the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery. IVUS confirmed that there was no dissection of the coronary artery or the proximal ascending aorta. Based on the IVUS findings, this case was diagnosed as ACS of the LMCA caused by a floating thrombus in the ascending aorta. DISCUSSION: This rare case of LMCA-ACS caused by a thrombus in the ascending aorta was confirmed by IVUS, which can be a useful imaging tool for diagnosing morphological abnormalities during emergencies.

Clinical Experience of Percutaneous Patent Foramen Ovale Closure Using the Amplatzer PFO Occluder in Japanese Patients to Prevent the Recurrence of Cryptogenic Stroke.

Objective Percutaneous patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure is a procedure widely used to prevent recurrence of cryptogenic stroke. Since December 2019, the Amplatzer PFO occluder device has been available in Japan through medical insurance. However, data on the clinical experience with this device are lacking, as it has been approved for use in only a limited number of institutions. This study assessed the clinical data of Japanese patients who underwent PFO closure using the Amplatzer PFO occluder. Methods Between February and October 2020, 14 patients at our institution underwent percutaneous PFO closure using the Amplatzer PFO occluder. The procedural characteristics, safety, and adverse events were retrospectively analyzed. Results The mean age of the patients was 52.4±13.3 years old, and 57.1% were women. Deep vein thrombosis was revealed in 2 patients, and the risk of paradoxical embolism score was 6.6±1.2 points. The PFO height and tunnel length were 2.3±1.4 mm and 11.5±4.1 mm. All patients had a PFO during the bubble study of grade >3 at the Valsalva maneuver on transthoracic echocardiography or transesophageal echocardiography. The average diameter of the PFO measured using a stiff guidewire and sizing balloon was 5.1±1.3 and 7.9±2.3 mm, respectively. Almost all cases (92.9%) were performed with a 25-mm device and without significant complications within approximately 1 hour. Conclusion Percutaneous closure using Amplatzer PFO occluder is a safe procedure for Japanese patients. However, further investigations with a larger sample and longer follow-up are needed to confirm this result.

Reverse takotsubo cardiomyopathy caused by patent foramen ovale-related cryptogenic stroke: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Reverse takotsubo cardiomyopathy (rTTC) is recognized as an atypical type of TTC. It has been suggested that neurological events are typical trigger of rTTC, especially in young individuals. CASE SUMMARY: In this case report, we describe a 16-year-girl who presented with neurological deficits due to embolic stroke and acute heart failure. Transthoracic echocardiography on admission revealed a severely reduced left ventricular (LV) function with akinesis of basal to mid LV, but normal contraction in apex. Coronary computed tomography angiography confirmed unobstructed coronary arteries. Two weeks later, her LV wall motion and ejection fraction were completely normalized. Transthoracic echocardiography and transoesophageal echocardiography demonstrated no evidence of intracardiac thrombus but showed a patent foramen ovale (PFO) with large shunt. After thorough work-up and brain-heart team discussion, we concluded that the patient developed rTTC due to cryptogenic stroke related with her PFO. She underwent percutaneous PFO closure for secondary prevention with good clinical course. DISCUSSION: Reverse TTC is a rare condition. It should be considered in stroke patients with acute heart failure. Quick diagnosis and management with brain-heart team is crucial for better prognosis.

Correction to: Percutaneous transcatheter closure of high-risk patent foramen ovale in the elderly.

In the original publication of the article, the below sentence were garbled.

Percutaneous transcatheter closure of high-risk patent foramen ovale in the elderly.

The efficacy of percutaneous transcatheter closure for preventing recurrent cerebrovascular events in elderly patients with high-risk patent foramen ovale (PFO) remains unclear, whereas in young patients, it has been shown to effectively prevent the recurrence of embolic stroke. The aim of this study was to investigate the safety and efficacy of percutaneous PFO closure in elderly patients with high-risk PFO. Between September 2012 and October 2018, 14 patients ≥ 60 years old with high-risk PFO underwent percutaneous closure to prevent recurrence of cerebrovascular events. The primary end point was recurrence of cerebrovascular events after closure in elderly patients with high-risk PFO, and the secondary end points were occurrence of device-related complications, cerebral hemorrhage, and new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF). The mean patient age and number of cerebrovascular events before closure were 75.2 ± 6.5 years and 1.7 ± 0.7, respectively. All procedures were successfully performed under general anesthesia by transesophageal echocardiography and using a 25-mm Amplatzer Cribriform device. No procedure-related complications occurred. Patients were followed up for a mean 2.6 ± 1.8 years. No patients experienced device-related complications or recurrent cerebrovascular events. However, one patient had AF-related device closure complications at 1 month postoperatively. In addition, other patient had a cerebral hemorrhage with unknown relationship to PFO closure 3 years postoperatively. Percutaneous closure of high-risk PFO in elderly patients may be as effective and safe as in younger patients. It is crucial to evaluate PFO morphology regardless of age in cases of paradoxical embolism.

Efficacy and safety of percutaneous transcatheter aortic valvuloplasty prior to non-cardiac surgery in Japanese patients with severe aortic stenosis.

This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of percutaneous transcatheter aortic valvuloplasty (PTAV) performed prior to non-cardiac surgery and the safety of non-cardiac surgery after PTAV in elderly Japanese patients. Between March 2012 and August 2018, 14 patients who underwent PTAVs prior to non-cardiac surgery were enrolled. The mean age was 82.2 ± 7.0 years. A total of 9 patients (64.3%) were women. A retrograde approach was selected for 57.1% of the patients. More than 75% of the procedures were performed using echocardiographic imaging. Echocardiographic data including the aortic valve area (AVA), peak aortic valve blood velocity flow (AVF), peak aortic valve pressure gradient (AVPG), and mean AVPG significantly improved after PTAV (AVA; from 0.54 ± 0.11 to 0.80 ± 0.13 cm2, peak AVF; from 4.6 ± 0.8 to 3.8 ± 0.7 m/s, peak AVG; from 87.9 ± 28.0 to 62.2 ± 19.9 mmHg, mean AVG; from 49.8 ± 18.9 to 35.7 ± 11.6 mmHg; p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.0012, respectively). Neither complications related to the PTAV procedure nor procedural mortality were noted. Non-cardiac surgery after PTAV was safely performed; there were no significant adverse events during non-cardiac surgery and no in-hospital mortality occurred after non-cardiac surgery. PTAV prior to non-cardiac surgery in elderly Japanese patients with severe aortic stenosis is safe and effective. In addition, non-cardiac surgery after PTAV can be safety performed without adverse events.

Paradoxical Embolism of Stroke-Related Patent Foramen Ovale in a Nonagenarian Woman.

There are few clinical reports of elderly patients with paradoxical embolism in the current literature. Herein, we describe the case of a nonagenarian patient with paradoxical embolism of stroke-related patent foramen ovale (PFO). A 95-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of dysarthria. Her medical history included cerebral infarction, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. Magnetic resonance imaging performed in the emergency room revealed cerebral infarction of the left temporal lobe. After hospitalization in the neurosurgery department, we performed further clinical investigations to diagnose the type of stroke. There was no significant stenosis with plaque of the carotid and cerebral arteries, and there were no sources of cardiac embolism or an episode of atrial arrhythmia. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) showed PFO with separation and the Eustachian valve. In addition, spontaneous bidirectional shunt flow through the PFO was detected by TEE with the patient at rest. Ultrasonography of the leg vein revealed a thrombus in the deep vein. Therefore, she was diagnosed as having paradoxical embolism of stroke-related PFO and prescribed a direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC). This very rare case in which stroke-related PFO was diagnosed in a nonagenarian patient demonstrates that PFO is the cause of paradoxical embolism of stroke regardless of age.

Frequency and predictors of bleeding events after 2nd generation drug-eluting stent implantation differ depending on time after implantation.

BACKGROUND: Antiplatelet therapy is required after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation, but bleeding events occur unexpectedly. We aimed to assess whether bleeding event predictors after 2nd generation DES (2nd DES) implantation differed by time after implantation. METHODS: We studied 1912 consecutive patients who underwent successful 2nd DES implantation (70±10 years, 72% male). Bleeding events were recorded as early (≤1 year) and late (>1 year). Major bleeding events were defined as a composite of type 5, 3, and 2 bleeding in the Bleeding Academic Research Consortium criteria. Predictors were assessed using a Cox proportional hazard model. RESULTS: Bleeding event rates were 3.3%, 5.1%, and 6.7% at 1, 2, and 3 years, respectively, with the highest 1-year rate in year 1 (p<0.001). Cause and severity of bleeding events were similar between early and late bleeding events. Prior history of gastrointestinal bleeding, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug use, and triple antithrombotic therapy [adjusted risk ratio (RR): 3.68, 3.21, 4.57, respectively; p<0.01] were independent predictors of early bleeding events. Age >80 years and severe renal dysfunction (adjusted RR: 2.27, 2.02, respectively; p<0.01) were independent predictors of late bleeding events. Survival rate was significantly lower in patients with bleeding events compared with patients without bleeding events (82.4% vs 90.1%; p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Frequency and predictors of bleeding events after 2nd DES implantation differ by time after implantation. Treatment strategies corresponding to individual patients are required.