Heart failure in remission for more than 13 years after removal of a left ventricular assist device.

Mechanical cardiac unloading with use of a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) is associated with substantial improvements in left ventricular function and enables subsequent LVAD explantation in some patients. We describe the case of a 35-year-old man with dilated nonischemic cardiomyopathy who was supported with an LVAD for 9 months. After the device was removed, he led a normal life for 13 years and 4 months.

Type A: right atrial thrombus associated with a sub-massive pulmonary embolism.

The increased use of echocardiography in patients with pulmonary thrombo-embolic disease has led to the recognition of sub-massive pulmonary embolism (SMPE) and concurrent right-heart thrombus (RHT). When these findings coincide, they are associated with a poor prognosis, identifying a high-risk group that often requires a rapid management. Since echocardiographers become the "first responders" in this clinical scenario, it is important to raise awareness and familiarize the readers regarding the importance played by the echocardiography laboratory in the prompt diagnosis and management of this entity.