Removal of stuck tunnelled dialysis line requiring cardiopulmonary bypass and venous repair.

Tunnelled central venous dialysis catheters can usually be removed easily. However, their removal can become rarely complicated requiring more invasive techniques. We report a case in which cardiopulmonary bypass and repair of great veins was required for safe removal. A 38-year-old female with end-stage renal failure and a 3-year-old Hickman line inserted into her right internal jugular vein was referred to our cardiac surgical unit following failed attempts of line removal by local vascular surgical team using open vascular surgical techniques. As a result, an MDT decision was made that it was safer to proceed to a cardiothoracic surgical approach rather than other techniques. Investigations showed significant calcification surrounding the line which was adherent to the venous wall. Removal of the retained catheter required median sternotomy and the use of cardiopulmonary bypass as the great veins had to be opened to free the line and allow complete removal. The line was successfully removed with its encircling calcified sheath, and the veins were closed primarily without needing a patch repair. The integrity of the great veins was maintained to meet the on-going need this young patient has for central venous access. The patient made an uneventful recovery. When other measures fail, sternotomy and cardiopulmonary bypass provide a safe option for complete removal of stuck central venous catheters with low risk to the patient.

Safety and efficacy of direct oral anticoagulants in bioprosthetic valves: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Direct oral anticoagulants are efficient alternatives to vitamin K antagonists. There is little evidence regarding their use in patients who underwent bioprosthetic valve replacement whether surgically or through a transcatheter approach and have another indication of anticoagulation. Trials have compared different members of the DOACs family to VKAs and showed that they were at least non-inferior to VKAs with regard to safety and efficacy. However, this is still controversial. Our meta-analysis aims at providing a clearer view of their future use in this subgroup of patients. Methods: PubMed and Cochrane were searched for randomised clinical trials and observational studies. Bleeding, stroke, and all-cause mortality were the outcomes of interest. Results: Ten papers with a total of 4,088 patients were included. Our meta-analysis revealed no significant differences between the incidence of bleeding between DOACs and warfarin (16% vs. 17%, OR = 0.94, 95% CI [0.56-1.57], p = 0.81, I 2 = 81%). No statistical difference was found in stroke between both groups (2.5% vs. 3.3%, OR = 0.75, 95% CI [0.41-1.38], p = 0.36, I 2 = 35%). All-cause mortality was not statistically significant between both groups (9.2% vs. 13.7%, OR = 0.85, 95% CI [0.68-1.07], p = 0.16, I 2 = 56%). Interestingly, subgroup analysis of randomised controlled trials and prospective studies favoured DOACs with lower risks of both bleeding and stroke. Conclusion: Direct oral anticoagulants appear to be at least as safe and effective as VKAs in patients with bioprosthetic valves and another indication of anticoagulation. There could be potential benefit from the use of DOACs; however, further evidence is required. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42021222146, identifier CRD42021222146.

A huge right ventricular hydatid cyst related to tricuspid valve causing severe pulmonary hypertension.

Preserving tricuspid valve's function is the cornerstone in surgical excision of cardiac hydatid cysts present in the right side of the heart. The perfect surgical technique may not exist. However, further studies are needed to ensure the clear path.

Resection of primary cardiac angiosarcoma infiltrating the right atrioventricular junction and tricuspid valve: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Primary cardiac tumours are extremely rare. Most of them are benign. Sarcomas account for 95% of the malignant tumours. Prognosis of primary cardiac angiosarcoma remains poor. Complete surgical resection is oftentimes hampered when there is extensive tumour involvement into important cardiac apparatus. We report a case of cardiac angiosarcoma of the right atrium and ventricle, infiltrating the right atrioventricular junction and tricuspid valve. CASE PRESENTATION: Initially, a 22-year-old man presented with dyspnoea. One year later, he had recurrent pericardial effusion. Afterwards, echocardiography revealed a large mass in the right atrium, expanding from the roof of the right atrium to the tricuspid valve. The mass was causing compression on the tricuspid valve, and another mass was seen in the right ventricle. Complete resection of the tumour was impossible. The mass was resected with the biggest possible margins. The right atrium was reconstructed using heterologous pericardium. The patient's postoperative course was uneventful. Postoperative echocardiography showed a small mass remaining in the right side of the heart. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry confirmed the diagnosis of angiosarcoma. The patient underwent adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy later on. He survived for 1 year and 5 days after the surgery. After a diagnosis of lung and brain metastases, he ended up on mechanical ventilation for 48 h and died. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical resection combined with postoperative chemotherapy and radiotherapy is feasible even in patients with an advanced stage of cardiac angiosarcoma when it is impossible to perform complete surgical resection.

An interventricular membranous septal aneurysm obstructing the right ventricle outflow tract in a five-year-old boy: a case report.

BACKGROUND: While the aneurysms of the membranous septum (AVS) are rare, the possibility that they lead to obstruction is even rarer. To the best of our knowledge, 11 similar cases have been reported since 1982. CASE PRESENTATION: Initially, the five-year-old boy was evaluated for dyspnoea that had been present since birth. He did not receive any medical treatment until the previous year. At the age of four, the transthoracic echocardiography showed a large aneurysm extending to the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) and causing RVOT stenosis. Complete surgical resection of the aneurysmal tissue was performed, and the boy was discharged home in satisfactory condition. CONCLUSIONS: As the occurrence of RVOT obstruction by a membranous ventricular septal aneurysm is very rare, we are reporting the second case in which an aneurysm of the membranous septum dynamically obstructed the RVOT in a child. We are also reviewing all the previously reported similar cases in the literature. Further studies are needed to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of aneurysms of the membranous septum (AVS).