Change of Peri-mitral Atrial Flutter into Single-loop Biatrial Flutter During Ablation.

Anterior line ablation for peri-mitral atrial flutter (AFL) is associated with biatrial flutter due to disruption of the electrical conduction in the left atrial septum. An AFL case with valvular disease, cardiac surgery, and prior ablation was confirmed to be counterclockwise peri-mitral flutter with isthmus on the left atrial septum. Ablation on the septum of the left atrium (LA) targeting the isthmus prolonged the tachycardia cycle length (TCL) from 266 to 286 ms. Left atrial mapping during AFL with a TCL of 286 ms showed that the activation remained peri-mitral counterclockwise, but there was interruption of the local activation time (LAT) sequence. Combined mapping of the LA and the right atrium (RA) showed a counterclockwise single-loop biatrial flutter, involving the whole LA and the RA septum, with Bachmann's bundle and the posteroinferior septum being the interatrial connections. The AFL was terminated by ablation at the right superior cavoatrial junction. RA mapping should be considered if there is prolongation of TCL but without termination of the peri-mitral AFL, and if there is interruption of the continuity of the LAT sequence during AFL with a longer TCL. The biatrial flutter can be terminated by ablation targeting the interatrial connections.

Transcatheter interventions for severe tricuspid regurgitation: a literature review.

The prevalence of tricuspid regurgitation (TR) increases with age, affecting 65%-85% of adults. Primary TR is caused by a congenital or acquired abnormality of the tricuspid valve apparatus (leaflets, chordae, papillary muscles, or annulus). Secondary TR is due to insufficient coaptation from dilation of tricuspid valve annulus due to the right ventricle (RV) or right atrium (RA) remodeling and increased RV pressures. Isolated TR is without increased RV pressures and is associated with atrial fibrillation. Mild TR is a benign disease. Moderate to severe tricuspid regurgitation has independently been associated with increased mortality. Most of these patients are treated medically due to poor outcomes with surgical repair of isolated TR. The in-hospital mortality rate is 8.8%, and the median length of stay in hospital is 11 days resulting in higher healthcare costs. Even if the patients undergo surgical repair or replacement, available data do not show improvement in survival. With a more detailed understanding of the complex anatomy and physiology of the tricuspid valve and significant complications from untreated tricuspid valve disease, the approach to the management of TR has shifted from a conservative approach to a process of prevention and intervention. In the past decade, transcatheter tricuspid valve interventions and tricuspid annuloplasty rings have been developed, contributing to decreased mortality from surgical repair. Transcatheter tricuspid valve intervention techniques have improved survival, quality of life, and reduced heart failure rehospitalization. This review summarizes normal anatomy, types of TR, etiology and different mechanisms of TR, echocardiographic assessment of the severe TR, and highlights various percutaneous transcatheter techniques for tricuspid valve repair.

Roof-dependent Atrial Flutter Changed into Single-loop Biatrial Flutter During Ablation.

A single-loop biatrial flutter is an uncommon form of atypical atrial flutter, and it can occur with septal or anterior line ablation in the left atrium (LA). We report a case with a roof-dependent atrial flutter that changed into a single-loop biatrial flutter during roof-line ablation. The activation entered the right atrium (RA) at the septum/fossa ovalis and coronary sinus ostium, exited the RA likely via the Bachmann's bundle and/or septopulmonary bundle, and entered the LA posterior to the roof line. The biatrial flutter was terminated with linear ablation between the right and left inferior pulmonary veins. RA mapping and biatrial flutter should be considered if roof-dependent atrial flutter slowed down during the roof-line ablation without termination.

Mitral Valve Prolapse: An Innocent Bystander or Proarrhythmogenic Anomaly?

Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is a relatively common finding in the general population, and it is associated with ventricular tachycardia (VT) and sudden cardiac death (SCD). In this report, we present a case involving a 63-year-old male who had been previously diagnosed with MVP complicated by multiple admissions for episodes of ventricular arrhythmias.

Cardiac papillary fibroelastoma.

Papillary fibroelastoma (PFE) is a primary, histologically benign endocardial neoplasm. Though PFE has long been reported as the second most common primary cardiac neoplasm, it has since pulled ahead of cardiac myxomas, largely due to evolving cardiac imaging modalities. While PFEs are benign histologically, they have the potential for devastating clinical consequences, transient ischemic attack, stroke, myocardial infarction, syncope, pulmonary, and peripheral embolism. Despite increased detection rate, there remains uncertainty regarding etiology, exact prevalence, and clinical management of PFEs. This paucity of information is reflected by the lack of official guidelines on this matter. In this article, we aim to summarize the current state of understanding regarding PFE and discuss areas of ongoing controversy.

A case report of successful intravascular shockwave lithotripsy and ad hoc directional venous atherectomy of extensive chronic femoral deep venous thrombosis.

BACKGROUND: Conventional treatment for chronic deep venous thrombosis (DVT) is anticoagulation. However, limited interventional endovascular options exist for patients with non-healing venous ulcers secondary to chronic DVT. CASE SUMMARY: We present a case of 67-year-old man with severely symptomatic post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS) with persistent high-grade femoral DVT despite prior compressive therapy and chronic oral anticoagulation. It has been successfully treated with intravascular shockwave lithotripsy and ad hoc directional venous atherectomy facilitating subsequent mechanical thrombectomy and venoplasty. The procedure was without complication and resulted in significant clinical improvement. DISCUSSION: We believe our novel endovascular interventional approach represents a unique modality of intervention for patients with chronic DVT and PTS resistant to conventional venoplasty.

Impella-Assisted Intracoronary Lithotripsy of Severely Calcified Left Main Coronary Artery Bifurcation for NSTEMI With Cardiogenic Shock.

High calcification of coronary artery plaque is a frequent cause of suboptimal stent expansion, which can result in stent thrombosis and restenosis. Shockwave intravascular lithotripsy (S-IVL) represents a new frontier in the treatment of highly calcified coronary lesions. It can be an excellent alternative to intracoronary atherectomy in extremely high-risk lesions. We present a case of a 57-year-old man with known severe coronary artery disease (CAD) who presented with non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), cardiogenic shock and was successfully treated with impella-assisted shockwave-intravascular lithotripsy permitting successful percutaneous intervention of a high-risk left main coronary artery (LMCA) bifurcation in-stent restenosis.

A Complex Ventricular Septal Defect Causing Severe Aortic Insufficiency.

We report a case of a 60-year-old male with decompensated heart failure secondary to severe aortic insufficiency in the setting of a complex ventricular septal defect. The case highlights the use of multimodality imaging, including transthoracic echocardiogram, transesophageal echocardiogram, and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, which contributed to the findings and diagnosis of the defect noted and was confirmed during surgery. The images provide an exceptional understanding of a complex ventricular septal defect and the associated pathology, which resulted in severe aortic regurgitation leading to cardiomyopathy. Although traditionally ventricular septal defects can be classified into certain types, our case highlights that some of these defects are very complex and require multimodality imaging for evaluation.

Successful resuscitation of acute cardiogenic shock presenting as ventricular fibrillation via Bipella approach: a case report.

BACKGROUND: The use of mechanical circulatory support (MCS) in acute myocardial infarction and cardiogenic shock (AMICS) complicated by biventricular failure is poorly discussed in the literature. CASE SUMMARY: We present successful treatment of a 52-year-old old man presenting with AMICS following cardiac arrest and prolonged CPR via a Bipella approach for biventricular support and restoration of haemodynamic stability. DISCUSSION: This case demonstrates the importance of understanding the role of MCS in the management of cardiogenic shock; the value of the cardiac power output and pulmonary artery pulsatility index as haemodynamic metrics to assess the cardiac function of a patient with cardiogenic shock; and the importance of a Bipella MCS approach in high inpatient morbidity and mortality AMICS with biventricular failure.

Successful Catheter-Directed Thrombolysis of Massive Bilateral Upper Extremity DVT Presenting as Superior Vena Cava Syndrome.

Superior vena cava syndrome (SVCS) is traditionally associated with malignancy. However, approximately one-third of SVCS cases are due to intravascular devices and pacemakers. No specific guidelines exist for managing catheter-associated SVCS. We present catheter-associated SVCS resistant to anticoagulation, angioplasty, and thrombectomy but resolved with ultrasound-assisted catheter directed thrombolysis. (Level of Difficulty: Intermediate.).

Association Between Pulmonary Hypertension and Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: Analysis of a Nationwide Inpatient Sample Database.

INTRODUCTION: This study was done to review the association of pulmonary hypertension (PH) with Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) procedures done in the US for years 2010 to 2012. METHODS: We used Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) data to extract data for patients who were hospitalized with a primary/secondary diagnosis of TAVR as specified by International Classification of Disease (ICD-9) codes 35.05 and 35.06. PH was identified with ICD-9 codes 416.0 and 416.8. Logistic regression models were used to analyze the association between PH and clinical outcomes of TAVR. RESULTS: A total of 8,824 weighted discharges were identified with a primary/secondary diagnosis of TAVR, of which 1,976 (22.4%) also had PH. Mean age of patients undergoing TAVR with and without PH was 81.4 and 81.1 years, respectively. More females had a diagnosis of PH with TAVR when compared to males, (56.9% vs. 43.1). When controlling for demographics, diabetes and hypertension; the association between PH and TAVR was statistically significant (p<.0001). Estimated odds of TAVR with PH was 5.46 (95% CI: 4.63, 6.41) times greater than for TAVR without PH. Similarly, the estimated odds for a length of stay greater than 1 week for TAVR with PH was 1.43 (95% CI: 1.12, 1.82; p=.0034) times greater than odds for TAVR without PH. PH was not statistically significant for in-hospital mortality in patients receiving TAVR (p=0.7067). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that underlying PH does not influence the immediate mortality of patients underlying TAVR. Further studies are needed to delve into the bearing of PH on TAVR.