A rare Serratia marcescens-associated acute endocarditis of a tricuspid valve in an intravenous drug user : A case report and literature review.

Serratia marcescens is a gram-negative bacillus that is an opportunistic agent in respiratory tract infections, urinary tract infections, and septicemia. It is rarely also a cause of infective endocarditis which follows a rapid and devastating course, typically in persons with history of intravenous drug use (IDU). This article reports a fatal case of a 27-year-old patient with a known history of IDU, who presented with clinical symptoms concerning right-sided endocarditis as well as signs of acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Rare Source of Embolism in a Young Patient: Case Report and Literature Review.

We present a case of a 31-year-old patient, smoker, with no previous medical history, presenting with acute limb ischemia and infarction of the spleen due to peripheral embolism. The source of embolism was thrombi formations in the left ventricular cavity, located in the area of the regional wall motions abnormalities. CT and coronary angiography confirmed the total occlusion of the left anterior descending artery with collateralization.

Three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography in diagnosis of intermediate atrioventricular septal defect in the adult: case report and literature review.

Background: Intermediate type atrioventricular septal defect is less frequent than complete or partial atrioventricular septal defect, and is rarely encountered in the elderly and the utility of three dimensional transesophageal echocardiography in the diagnosis has not been reported to date.

Case Presentation: In this case report, we described a rare case of an intermediate atrioventricular septal defect in an adult patient and we showed the valuable utility of real time 3D transesophageal echocardiography in the diagnosis and future surgical planning. The patient was referred to a tertiary center for an elective surgical repair.

Primary and secondary aortopathy associated with adult congenital heart disease - retrospective study.

Background: Primary and secondary aortopathy are frequently encountered in patients with congenital heart disease. The aim of this study is to present our experience and the incidence of primary and secondary adult CHD-associated aortopathy.

Methods: The cohort is comprised of adult patients with congenital heart disease from the registry of the Eastern Slovakia Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases.

Etiology of syncope in patients with preexisting atrioventricular conduction disorders.

Background: The discussion about the feasibility of empiric pacemaker implantation in patients with preexisting atrioventricular (AV) conduction disorders continues. The aim of the study was to determine the etiology of syncope and the need for pacemaker insertion in patients with AV conduction impairment using implantable loop recorder (ILR).

Methods: ILR was implanted after negative diagnostic workup in 37 patients with syncope (24 men, 13 women, age 72 ± 10 years) and preexisting impairment of AV conduction.

The occurrence of postoperative atrial fibrillation according to different surgical settings in cardiac surgery patients.

Objectives: Atrial fibrillation is the most common arrhythmia after cardiac surgery. The pathogenesis of postoperative atrial fibrillation is multifactorial. The aim of the study was to analyse preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative factors and their relationships with the occurrence and duration of atrial fibrillation.