A case of bronchopericardial fistula with tension pneumopericardium closed successfully by transpericardial intervention: A novel procedure.

A pneumopericardium is a collection of air or gas in the pericardial sac which may cause cardiac tamponade, known as tension pneumopericardium. Tension pneumopericardium is a rare and lethal presentation of bronchopericardial fistula. There are very few reports in the literature of patients surviving with this condition, although prompt diagnosis and early intervention are important.

Prognostic value of fluorine-18 fluoro-2-deoxyglucose positron emission computed tomography in patients with unexplained atrioventricular block.

Background: The cause of atrioventricular conduction block (AVB) remains unexplained in a significant number of patients. Granulomatous myocarditis is an uncommon but important cause of AVB. Fluorine-18 fluoro-2-deoxyglucose positron emission computed tomography (18-FDG PET) scan has emerged as a sensitive tool for diagnosing granulomatous myocarditis.

Serial FDG-PET scans help to identify steroid resistance in cardiac sarcoidosis.

Background: Cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) is increasingly being recognized. Immunosuppression with corticosteroids is the mainstay of therapy. But the optimal dose of steroids and how to assess response to therapy is not known.

A novel approach in the use of radiofrequency catheter ablation of septal hypertrophy in hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy.

Objective: Alcohol septal ablation (ASA) is a therapeutic alternative to surgical myectomy in patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM). However, the anatomical variability of the septal branch, risk of complete heart block, and late onset ventricular arrhythmias are limitations to its therapeutic usage. There is recent interest in the use of radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) as a therapeutic option in HOCM.