Platypnea-orthodeoxia: management by transcatheter buttoned device implantation.

Dyspnea and arterial desaturation on upright position in elderly subjects is described as platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome (POS) and in some patients it is due to right-to-left shunt across the atrial septal defect (ASD)/patent foramen ovale (PFO). Surgical closure of ASD/PFO has been the only available treatment option. Buttoned device has been used for occlusion of ostium secundum ASD, PFO associated with presumed paradoxical embolism and cerebrovascular accidents and ASD/PFO in association with other congenital heart defects causing right-to-left shunt. The objective of this article is to describe the use of buttoned device in effectively occluding ASD/PFO to relieve hypoxemia of POS. During a 4-year period ending January 2000, 10 patients, ages 71 +/- 9 (range 60-83) years with POS underwent buttoned device closure of their ASD/PFO. Echocardiographic and balloon-stretched atrial defect sizes were 8 +/- 3 mm and 12 +/- 3 mm, respectively. The ASD/PFO were occluded with devices ranging in size from 25 to 40 mm delivered via 9 French, long, blue Cook sheaths; eight had an additional 25- or 35-mm occluder placed on the right atrial side. The oxygen saturation increased (P < 0.001) from 76 +/- 7% (range 69-86%) to 95 +/- 2% (range 92-98%). No complications were encountered. Relief of symptoms was seen in all patients. Follow-up of 1-36 months (median 12 months) revealed persistent improvement of symptoms. Buttoned device occlusion of ASD/PFO to relieve hypoxemia of POS is feasible, safe, and effective and is an excellent alternative to surgery. Cathet Cardiovasc Intervent 2001;54:77-82.

Coronary angiography using 4 Fr catheters with acisted power injection: A randomized comparison to 6 Fr manual technique and early ambulation.

Coronary angiography using 4 Fr catheters may reduce access site complications, promote better utilization of outpatient facilities, but at a cost of suboptimal image quality. To determine whether 4 Fr diagnostic angiography with power injection (Acist, Minneapolis, MN) was equivalent to 6 Fr manual technique, 101 unselected patients were randomized to transfemoral coronary angiography with 4 or 6 Fr catheters. Procedural characteristics, angiographic quality scores, and results of 90 min ambulation were analyzed. Coronary angiographic quality scores using 4 Fr and 6 Fr catheters were equivalent (left coronary artery 4.73 +/- 0.6 vs. 4.80 +/- 0.65, P = 0.28; right coronary artery 4.98 +/- 90.13 vs. 4.97 +/- 0.16, P = 0.48). However, 4 Fr left ventriculographic image score was lower (4.53 +/- 0.68 vs. 4.83 +/- 0.42, P = 0.0002), attributed, in part, to a smaller injected contrast volume (32 +/- 11 vs. 37 +/- 4 mL, P = 0.001). The total study contrast volume was significantly less in the 4 Fr group (119 +/- 35 vs. 159 +/- 52 mL, P = 0.001). Complications related to early ambulation at 90 min were similar and minimal in both groups. Compared to 6 Fr manual contrast injection technique, diagnostic angiography through 4 Fr catheters with power contrast injection resulted in equivalent coronary angiographic image quality, slightly reduced but diagnostic left ventricular image quality, and significantly less contrast volume. Four Fr angiography facilitates early ambulation without compromising safety and image quality.

Characterization of intra-arterial flow velocity within left coronary to pulmonary artery fistula.

The physiology of a coronary to pulmonary artery fistula has not been well characterized. This case report demonstrates the flow velocity pattern of a coronary fistula to the pulmonary artery which supports the hypothesized physiology that flow is predominantly continuous without a phasic pattern. The flow velocity within a coronary fistula has not been previously demonstrated.

Epidermoid-induced pulsating eye.

An otherwise asymptomatic 62-year-old woman had a pulsating but not proptotic eye. Computed tomography showed a low-density mass lesion in the temporal lobe that extended through a defective greater wing of the sphenoid, indented the lateral rectus muscle, and displaced the optic nerve. Magnetic resonance imaging confirmed these findings and showed no enhancement of the lesion by gadolinium. An epidermoid cyst was diagnosed on the basis of its location in the cleavage lines of the temporal lobe, irregular margins, low density by imaging scans, lack of enhancement, and invasion of the orbit. Epidermoid tumors are, therefore, another cause for a pulsating eye.