Comparison of multiple views for the evaluation of pulmonary arterial blood flow by Doppler echocardiography.

Forty adult patients underwent Doppler and two-dimensional echocardiographic examination of the pulmonary artery from multiple views to determine the variability in the magnitude of Doppler-determined flow velocity and pulmonary arterial diameter from various echocardiographic windows. Flows were recorded from two or more views in 32 patients (80%). Twelve of these patients (38%) had flow velocities recorded from two or more views that were within 6% of each other.

Long-term follow-up after mitral valve reconstruction: incidence of postoperative left ventricular outflow obstruction.

Reconstructive surgery of the mitral valve has been an alternative to mitral valve replacement in patients with mitral regurgitation. Previously, we reported on postoperative left ventricular outflow tract obstruction associated with systolic anterior motion of the anterior mitral leaflet. The current study was designed to evaluate the incidence of this complication and the long-term results of mitral valve reconstructive surgery.

Intracardiac leiomyomatosis: diagnosis and treatment.

Intracardiac leiomyomatosis is the presence of a benign smooth muscle tumor within a cardiac chamber reaching the heart by direct intravenous extension from an extracardiac source. After a case report and a review of the 13 previously reported cases, the clinical features, diagnostic considerations, differential diagnosis and treatment modalities of intracardiac leiomyomatosis are discussed.