Magnetic resonance imaging versus echocardiography to ascertain the regression of left ventricular hypertrophy after bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement: results of the REST study.

Objectives: To compare the decrease in left ventricular mass index (LVMI) by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) versus transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) after aortic valve replacement (AVR) for severe aortic stenosis with Epic and Epic Supra stented porcine bioprostheses (St Jude Medical, Inc, St Paul, Minn).

Methods: This prospective multicenter study enrolled 149 patients who underwent AVR between January 2006 and February 2008. TTE and cardiac MRI measurements of LVMI were made at baseline and at 6 months of follow-up and were compared.

The surgical option in the management of acute pulmonary embolism.

Objective: Massive or submassive pulmonary embolism (PE) carries a high mortality. Traditionally this condition has been treated with thrombolysis or anticoagulation and support measures. Surgical embolectomy is carried out in situations of hemodynamic instability or contraindication for thrombolysis.

Video-assisted mitral surgery through a micro-access: a safe and reliable reality in the current era.

Background And Aim Of The Study: Minimally invasive mitral valve surgery was introduced into clinical practice during the mid 1990s. The clinical benefits of the technique, namely a reduction of surgical trauma, increased patient comfort and shorter hospital stay, are achieved by using a video-assisted, minithoracotomy approach rather than a standard median sternotomy. Herein is described the authors' experience with video-assisted mitral surgery through a micro-access.

Ruptured aneurysm of the mammary artery in a patient with neurofibromatosis type I.

We report a case of acute hemothorax caused by the rupture of a mammary artery aneurysm in a patient with neurofibromatosis type I.