Echocardiographic characteristics of patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Background: Myocardial involvement induced by SARS-CoV-2 infection might be important for long-term prognosis. The aim of this observational study was to characterize the myocardial effects during SARS-CoV-2 infections by echocardiography.

Results And Methods: An extended echocardiographic image acquisition protocol was performed in 18 patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection assessing LV longitudinal, radial, and circumferential deformation including rotation, twist, and untwisting.

Five-Year Results of the Bioflow-III Registry: Real-World Experience with a Biodegradable Polymer Sirolimus-Eluting Stent.

Purpose: We aimed to assess long-term safety and performance of the Orsiro sirolimus-eluting coronary stent with biodegradable polymer in a large unselected population and in pre-specified subgroups.

Methods: BIOFLOW-III is a prospective, multicenter, international, observational registry with follow-up visits scheduled at 6 and 12 months, and at 3 and 5 years (NCT01553526).

Results: 1356 patients with 1738 lesions were enrolled.

Real-world experience with a novel biodegradable polymer sirolimus-eluting stent: twelve-month results of the BIOFLOW-III registry.

Aims: We aimed to assess the safety and performance of a novel sirolimus-eluting stent with biodegradable polymer under real-world conditions.

Methods And Results: This prospective, multicentre, observational, all-comers registry enrolled 1,356 patients. The primary endpoint was target lesion failure at 12 months: it occurred in 5.

[Severe, non-infectious mitral valve endocarditis after mitral valve reconstruction in a 32-year old female with primary antiphospholipid syndrome].

Background: A 32-year old female with primary antiphospholipid syndrome presented 8 months after mitral valve reconstruction with progressive exertional dyspnea and echocardiographically demonstrable critical mitral stenosis and regurgitation. Tachycardia, weight loss, sleep disturbances and increasing nervosity led to the diagnosis of concomitant hyperthyroidism. After the patient stopped the oral anticoagulation by herself, a 'catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome' with multiple microthromboembolic events in several organs developed rapidly within a few weeks.

Treatment of achalasia: botulinum toxin injection vs. pneumatic balloon dilation. A prospective study with long-term follow-Up.

Background And Study Aims: In patients with achalasia, intrasphincteric injection of botulinum toxin (BTX) has been suggested as an alternative regimen to balloon dilation and has been shown to be superior to placebo injection. The aim of the present study was to test the effectiveness, the long-term outcome and the cumulative costs of BTX injection in consecutive patients with symptomatic achalasia in comparison with pneumatic balloon dilation.

Patients And Methods: 37 patients, who presented with symptomatic achalasia between January 1994 and December 1996 were treated with either BTX injection (n = 23) or pneumatic dilation (n = 14).