Recurrent venous thrombosis in Behçet's disease: successful endovascular treatment with thrombolysis and stent.

We report the case of a patient with Behçet's disease (BD) and recurrent venous thrombosis in the right subclavian vein, successfully treated with balloon dilatation and the insertion of a Wallstent. Subsequent follow up at 6 months showed no evidence of reocclusion. Endovascular stents should be considered as a possible interventional modality in BD patients with aneurysms or recurrent venous or arterial thrombosis.

In-hospital mortality after acute myocardial infarction in Lebanon: incidence, associations, and influence of newer treatment regimens.

PURPOSE: To study the incidence of in-hospital mortality following acute myocardial infarction in Lebanon, and its relationship to demographic, clinical variables, and therapeutic strategies. PATIENTS & METHODS: Consecutive admissions due to myocardial infarction to 18 medical centers in various regions of Lebanon were entered into the Lebanese Myocardial Infarction Study, conducted between January and July 1996. Information was obtained on age, gender, time of onset of symptoms, delay to hospital arrival, mode of transport, and coronary risk factor analysis. The patients were followed up in hospital for analysis of modes of therapy, complications and mortality. RESULTS: There were 44 in-hospital deaths among the 433 admissions (10.2%), which is a rate lower than those previously reported from Lebanon. Less than half the patients presented within 6 hours of onset of symptoms and only 28% received thrombolytic therapy. The mortality rate was higher in older age groups, those presenting with cardiogenic shock or pulmonary edema, those with a history of angina, infarction or heart failure, and those who developed recurrent ischemia or infarction during their hospital stay. Furthermore, occurrence of ventricular arrhythmias, mechanical complications, congestive heart failure and left bundle branch block was associated with a higher mortality rate. Treatment with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, beta-blockers, aspirin, heparin, nitrates and thrombolytics significantly reduced mortality rates. CONCLUSIONS: The results reveal improvement in the survival of patients after acute myocardial infarction to values similar to those reported from Western countries. Further effort should be expended to enhance early arrival to the hospital, increased thrombolytic therapy and to implement treatment strategies supported by large clinical trials such as use of aspirin, ACE inhibitors and beta-blockers.

Gender differences in the diagnosis and treatment of acute myocardial infarction in Lebanon.

PURPOSE: To study the gender differences in presentation, diagnosis and treatment of acute myocardial infarction in Lebanon. MATERIAL & METHODS: Consecutive admissions due to myocardial infarction to 18 medical centers in various regions of Lebanon were entered into the Lebanese Myocardial Infarction Study, conducted between January and July 1996. Information was obtained on age, gender, time of onset of symptoms, delay to hospital arrival, mode of transport, and coronary risk factor analysis. The patients were followed up in hospital for analysis of modes of therapy, complications and mortality. RESULTS: Of 433 admissions, 99 were female. Compared to men, women were older, presented later, smoked less but tended to have a higher frequency of hypertension. The other coronary risk factors were similarly prevalent in males and females. Inotropic agents were used more commonly in females but thrombolytics were used less so. Women tended to develop more heart failure and had significantly higher incidence of recurrent ischemia or myocardial infarction, high level atrioventricular block and atrial arrhythmias. The overall mortality rate was higher in females than in males (16.2% vs. 8.1%, P = 0.037). CONCLUSIONS: The results reveal similarities between gender differences among Lebanese and Western populations. The higher mortality rate in women may relate to the late arrival to hospital, the older age and the more frequent complications. This emphasizes the need to educate women about coronary risk and to urge them to seek early medical care.

Traumatic pseudoaneurysm of the left sinus of Valsalva: a case report.

Deceleration injuries of the aorta result in tears that often lead to exsanguinating hemorrhage. The site is most often at the aortic isthmus, with injuries of the aortic root being rare. A minority of patients survive long enough to reach the hospital where prompt diagnosis and treatment are essential for survival. We hereby report on a patient who had a pseudoaneurysm of the left sinus of Valsalva 13 years after a deceleration accident, presumably caused by a contained rupture of the aortic root. Transesophageal echocardiography was of great value in studying the features of the pseudoaneurysm and its relation to the left main coronary artery and left upper pulmonary vein.

Reproductive outcome following abdominal metroplasty.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate pregnancy outcome following uterine unification procedures in patients with uterine anomalies. METHODS: A retrospective survey included all abdominal metroplasty procedures performed on 43 patients at the American University of Beirut Medical Center between January 1, 1974 and December 31, 1991. Age at metroplasty, type of anomaly and surgical procedures, as well as preoperative and postoperative reproductive performance were all recorded. RESULTS: Forty (93%) out of 43 patients who underwent metroplasty had postoperative live births compared with five (12%) prior to surgery. The fetal wastage rate dropped from 93% pre- to 16% postoperatively. All seven patients with a history of primary infertility conceived and had live births. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest a remarkable improvement following abdominal metroplasty in patients with both typical and uncharacteristic preoperative reproductive performance.

Early diagnosis of pericarditis in acute myocardial infarction.

Pericarditis complicating acute myocardial infarction assumes increasing importance in this era of quantitating infarct size by precordial ST segment mapping. Early recognition of this complication avoids diagnostic and therapeutic errors. In this study we looked for factors that could alert to the early diagnosis of pericarditis, such as ST elevation measured within 24 hours from onset, extent of CPK, LDH, and SGOT elevation, as well as degree of pump dysfunction. ST segment elevation in millimeters on admission seemed to be one factor that was of predictive value in this condition. Pericarditis occurred in three forms: (1) within a few hours from the onset of myocardial infarction and this form seems to carry a high mortality rate; (2) a more common variety occurs within 24 to 72 hours from onset and carries a higher mortality rate than matched controls; and (3) the late syndrome of Dressler's, not observed in our series. Aside from increased incidence of heart failure, other complications of myocardial infarction and the coronary risk factors were not significantly higher in patients with pericarditis. Salicylate treatment offers immediate relief in the majority of patients.

Prinzmetal's angina with Torsade de Pointes ventricular tachycardia.

Two cases of Prinzmetal's angina with Torsade de Pointes Ventricular Tachycardia are described. The patients had severe obstructive coronary disease and developed the arrhythmias while on large doses of conventional antiarrhythmic therapy. Each patient developed multiple episodes of Torsade de Pointes which had to be terminated with defibrillation or right ventricular endocardial pacing. Both patients underwent successful aortocoronary by-pass graft surgery. The possible relationship of prolonged repolarization by the antiarrhythmic therapy and coronary occlusion to the development of Torsade de Pointes is discussed.