From bone to heart: a case of MRSA osteomyelitis with haematogenous spread to the pericardium.

We report a case of a 55-year-old woman with a history of type 2 diabetes mellitus, Charcot arthropathy and end-stage renal disease, who presented with a syncopal episode after undergoing haemodialysis. She had a history of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteraemia from an unknown source 3 months earlier, which was treated with an 8-week course of intravenous antibiotics. At the time of presentation to the emergency room, she was found to be in refractory shock.

Non-invasive estimation of pulmonary artery pressures in patients with sickle cell anaemia in Ibadan, Nigeria: an echocardiographic study.

Introduction: Pulmonary hypertension is emerging as one of the causes of morbidity and mortality in adults with sickle cell disease. The prevalence of pulmonary hypertension in Nigerian adults with sickle cell anaemia is unknown. We decided to estimate the pulmonary artery systolic and diastolic pressures in subjects with sickle cell anaemia seen at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria, and to determine the frequency of pulmonary hypertension among them.

Combination of asystole and sinus arrest with junctional escape rhythm seen in Takotsubo cardiomyopathy: A case report.

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM) is characterized by a transient depression of contractile function of mid and/or apical segments of the left ventricle with compensatory hyperkinesis of the basal segment. It leads to ballooning of the apex in systole, resembling an octopus trap, hence the name. There have been many different arrhythmias associated with TCM.

Unusual endocarditis: "rare bug, rare site".

A 27-year-old man was diagnosed with infective endocarditis due to Streptococcus agalactiae. Large vegetations were seen on the anterior mitral valve leaflet and also on the right ventricular side of a membranous ventricular septal defect. Streptococcus agalactiae is a rare cause of endocarditis, and it is very rare to find large vegetations around ventricular septal defect.

Cor triatriatum dextro iatrogenica: an unusual complication of atrial septal defect closure device.

We present a case of a rare complication of atrial septal defect (ASD) device closure causing cor triatriatum dextro iatrogenica. A 29-year-old female presented with sudden onset dysarthria and ataxia and was found to have basilar and thalamic infarcts. Further evaluation using transthoracic echocardiography revealed an ASD which was repaired using the Gore HELEX septal occluder.

Bacterial pericarditis caused by infected trichilemmal cyst.

Bacterial pericarditis is a well-known although rare complication of Staphylococcus aureus infection in modern practice. We present a rare case of Staphylococcus pericarditis caused by an infected trichilemmal cyst present on patient's scalp. Our case emphasizes that all cases of bacterial pericarditis should be thoroughly investigated for a source of infection.

Characterisation of left ventricular function by tissue Doppler imaging technique in newly diagnosed, untreated hypertensive subjects.

Background: Hypertension results in structural and functional changes in the heart. Early detection of abnormalities of cardiac structure and function is important in the assessment and treatment of hypertensive subjects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility of the tissue Doppler echocardiographic technique in characterising diastolic and systolic functions in untreated native black African hypertensive subjects.

Changes in left atrial dimension and function and left ventricular geometry in newly diagnosed untreated hypertensive subjects.

Background: It is known that a spectrum of changes in structure, size and function of the different chambers of the heart occur in individuals with hypertension. The earliest changes and the sequence of these changes are still being studied.

Aims: The present study aimed to assess early changes in the left atrial size and function in hypertension, and its relationship with left ventricular geometry and other factors that may influence left atrial size.

Oral misoprostol for the prevention of primary post-partum hemorrhage during third stage of labor.

Aim: To assess the effectiveness of oral misoprostol compared with methylergometrine in the prevention of primary post-partum hemorrhage during the third stage of labor.

Methods: This was a randomized controlled trial of 864 singleton low-risk pregnant women. The outcomes were total blood loss, duration of the third stage of labor and peripartal change in hematocrit.