Transnasal transesophageal echocardiography: a new approach for the PFO occlusion in awake patients.

Objectives: To reduce risks, discomfort, cost, and operative time for percutaneous patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure, we propose to perform this procedure under transesophageal echo-guidance using a 10 Fr. catheter introduced through nasal way (TEENW).

Background: Transesophageal or intracardiac echocardiography is commonly used to guide percutaneous PFO closure.

Sorin stentless pericardial valve versus Carpentier-Edwards Perimount pericardial bioprosthesis: Is it worthwhile to struggle?

We compared two bovine pericardium prostheses (Sorin Freedom versus Carpentier-Edwards Perimount) in patients with small aortic annulus, randomizing 80 patients affected by prevalent aortic stenosis and studying the residual gradient, the effective orifice area, the left ventricular mass regression and the ventricular function to evaluate the cost-benefit in terms of risk-advantages for the patient.

Transesophageal echocardiography through nasal way as a guide to percutaneous closure of patent foramen ovale.

Percutaneous device closure of patent foramen ovale (PFO) has become an effective and safe alternative to medical or surgery treatment. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), as commonly used to guide this procedure, has the limitation to require general anesthesia. Recently, intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) with AcuNav probe was used to guide percutaneous PFO closure.

Mitral paraprosthetic leak diagnosed by transesophageal echocardiography through nasal way.

Paraprosthetic leaks are a postoperatively complication recurring with a frequency from 15 to 30%, and mostly in the mitral than in the aortic position. Transthoracic echocardiography can suspect prosthesis valve dysfunction, but for both diagnosis and evaluation of the paraprosthetic dysfunction severity, transesophageal study is required. In this report a mitral paraprosthetic dehiscence was diagnosed using a miniaturized, 10 F, monoplane probe inserted through nasal way.

Ambulatory pulse pressure, left ventricular hypertrophy and function in arterial hypertension.

Background: A wide pulse pressure (PP) can provide important risk assessment information about myocardial infarction, carotid artery atherosclerosis, and global cardiovascular risk. Ambulatory pulse pressure (APP) does not have a well-known prognostic value in hypertensive patients.

Methods: To evaluate the relationship among high APP, atrial volumes, and cardiac function, an observational study was performed on 108 untreated non-elderly hypertensive patients (mean age 54.

Myocardial cytoprotection by trimetazidine against anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity in anticancer chemotherapy.

The ability of trimetazidine (2,3,4, trimethoxybenzylpiperazine dihydrochloride, TMZ) to protect the myocardium against anthracycline (ANT)-induced cardiotoxicity during chemotherapy has been evaluated in female patients with breast cancer. A clinical trial was conducted in 61 patients subdivided into three groups: group 1 (n = 15, G1 ) treated with standard ANT protocol and cardioprotection by dexrazoxane (DEX) plus TMZ (60 mg, daily dose); group 2 (n = 22, G2) treated with ANT and cardioprotection by TMZ only; and group 3 (n = 24, G3) scheduled to receive ANT therapy and DEX. All the patients submitted to an echocardiographic evaluation of diastolic function (E wave velocity, A wave velocity, isovolumetric relaxation time [IVRT], deceleration time [DT]) at enrollment (T0), at T1 time, at T2 time, and at T3 time.