Automatic left ventricle volume and mass quantification from 2D cine-MRI: Investigating papillary muscle influence.

Objective: Early detection of cardiovascular diseases is based on accurate quantification of the left ventricle (LV) function parameters. In this paper, we propose a fully automatic framework for LV volume and mass quantification from 2D-cine MR images already segmented using U-Net.

Methods: The general framework consists of three main steps: Data preparation including automatic LV localization using a convolution neural network (CNN) and application of morphological operations to exclude papillary muscles from the LV cavity.

Uncommon using of the pulmonary homograft in oncological case - three years follow up.

Introduction: There are enough cases of colorectal cancer with liver metastasis, but inferior vena cava infiltraion with dissemination to the right atrium is an infrequent event.

Presentation Of Case: This is the first case of surgical treatment of recurrent liver metastasis with the infiltration to the inferior vena cava and to the right atrium of the heart, using a cryopreserved pulmonary homograft.

Discussion: The choice of a cryopreserved pulmonary homograft was preferred by the need for a radical and wide resection of tissues involved in the metastasis, as well as to potentially reduce the risk of thrombosis in the short- and long-term postoperative period.

The Association of IL-6, TNFα and CRP Gene Polymorphisms with Coronary Artery Disease in a Tunisian Population: A Case-Control study.

Coronary artery disease is an inflammatory disease. Systemic markers of inflammation such as Interleukin-6, Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha and C-reactive protein have previously been shown to be associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events. The aim of the present study is to assess the role of variants in the IL-6 (- 174 G/C), TNFα (- 308 A/G) and CRP (+ 1059G/C) genes as susceptibility markers for CAD in a Tunisian population.

Is there a latent left ventricular dysfunction in hypertensive patients with preserved ejection fraction?

Introduction: Early detection of left ventricular (LV) dysfunction may represent a clinical finding that would justify aggressive treatment aimed to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.

Aim: To evaluate longitudinal contractility in patients with essential hypertension and preserved LV ejection fraction (EF), in an attempt to detect latent impairment of LV systolic function.

Methods: Prospective case-control study carried out on 121 (67 male/54 female) hypertensive patients (HTN group) with preserved EF and without any symptoms of heart failure and 39 age- and gender-matched healthy subjects as a control group.

Cardiac tamponade: an uncommon presenting feature of systemic lupus erythematosus (a case-based review).

Although pericarditis is the most prevalent cardiac involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), cardiac tamponade is extremely infrequent notably as the first manifestation of the disease. Here we report the case of a 22-year-old woman presenting with cardiac tamponade as the initial presentation of SLE.

Stent implantation for ostial left anterior descending coronary artery stenosis: clinical particularities, therapeutic strategies, and medium-term outcomes.

Background: The stenosis of the ostial left anterior descending artery represents one of the challenges for the interventional cardiologist. The aim of our study was to define the characteristics of this population and to analyze their results in medium term.

Methods: We had undertaken a retrospective study of 76 patients treated in the Cardiology Department of the Military Hospital of Tunis, between January 2014 and March 2017.

Multimodality imaging assessment of a caseous calcification of the mitral valve annulus.

Caseous calcification of the mitral annulus (CCMA) is a rare echocardiographic finding. It is commonly misdiagnosed as an abscess, tumor or infective vegetation on the mitral valve. Since it is a benign process, differentiating it from malignant intra-cardiac mass is primordial to avoid unnecessary surgery.

Contribution of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome with normal coronary angiography.

Background - Acute coronary syndrome with high level of troponin is a common pattern for emergency consultation. In 10% of cases, coronary angiography concluded that there were no significant coronary lesions. The contribution of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the etiological investigation is increasing in these conditions.

Spontaneous multivessel coronary artery dissection associated with cannabis use.

Cannabis is the most widely used illicit drug in the world. It is generally considered to be a drug with low toxicity. Nevertheless, there are several case reports of myocardial infarction following cannabis use in otherwise low-risk individuals.

Fatal postpartal dissection of all coronary arteries in an in vitro-fertilized woman.

Myocardial infarction complicates approximately 1 in 10,000 pregnancies [1]. Coronary artery dissection is the leading cause of pregnancy-related myocardial infarction during the postpartum period. Proposed etiologies include altered endocrine status, hemodynamic stress, eosinophilic inflammatory infiltrate, and disruption of vasa vasorum.

[Sirolimus-eluting stent in the prevention of restenosis in small coronary arteries].

Background: Angioplasty of coronary arteries with a small diameter (commonly defined as diameter inferior than 2.75 mm) is associated with a high rate of restenosis and revascularization. Since the use of Drug Eluting Stents (DES) and considering their good results on simple lesions compared to other techniques (balloon dilation and bare metal stents), many studies have also demonstrated the superiority of DES in reducing restenosis and revascularization of complex lesions in particular lesions on coronary arteries with small diameter.

[Infective endocarditis on probe of pacemaker].

Infective endocarditis is an uncommon but potentially lethal complication of permanent cardiac pacing. Infection is mainly caused by local contamination during the implantation procedure. The most frequently detected causative microorganisms were staphylococci.

[Overview on the management of vasovagal syncope].

Background: Vasovagal syncope (VVS) is the most common type of syncope. Despite its benignity, quality of life may be severely affected in a significant proportion of highly symptomatic patients.

Aim: To review achral knowledgement concerning vasovagal syncope, to assess the utility of diagnostic investigation and report the updat therapeutic management.

[Influence of sex on immediate and late results of percutaneous coronary angioplasty].

Prior studies have reported worse results after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) in women than in men. However, recent data suggest that this difference is less marked. The aim of our study is to evaluate whether the procedural outcome is equal in the two genders.

[Role of fibrin D-dimer in acute coronary syndrome. Prospective study of 22 cases].

Fibrin D-dimer are the consequence of an excess of fibrinolysis. The raise of their level in coronary heart disease seems to be helpful to enhance the diagnosis of coronary ischemia. Prospective study over 4 months, including 22 patients (16 male, 6 female) divided in 2 subgroups: Group I: 10 patients investigated for stable angina Group II: 12 patients investigated for ACS without ST elevation.

[GPIIB/IIIA blockade after high-risk angioplasty: new perspectives].

The treatment of acute coronary syndromes knows today revolution, with the clinical use of platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors. The benefit of these agents as adjunctive treatment for percutaneous coronary intervention has been substantial and consistently proved among trials; however patients undergoing revascularization after drug discontinuation demonstrated a moderate event reduction. In this analysis, including the entire large-scale trial experience of intravenous glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors, we try to evaluate this therapeutic class in the high risk coronary intervention, in patients with acute coronary syndromes primarily medically managed, and in combination therapy with thrombolytics in the acute myocardial infarction.

[Sinus node dysfunction in a "healthy heart" in an infant. A case report].

Sinus node dysfunction (SND) is a rare cause of bradycardia in children without structural heart disease. However the association between (SND) and abnormality of atrio-ventricular conduction, is more uncommon. We report a case of a child 23 months old, admitted in the cardiology department for a symptomatic bradycardia.