Valve Surgery in a Low-Volume Center in a Low- and Middle-Income Country: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Valvular heart disease (VHD) has a significant prevalence and mortality rate with surgical intervention continuing to be a cornerstone of therapy. We aim to report the outcome of patients undergoing heart valve surgery (HVS) in a low-volume center (LVC) in a low- and middle-income country (LMIC).

Methods: A cross-sectional retrospective study was conducted at the Jordan University Hospital (JUH), a tertiary teaching hospital in a developing country, between April 2014 and December 2019.

Safety of autologous intramuscular platelet lysate injections in patients with critical limb ischaemia: A pilot, exploratory study.

Background & Objectives: Platelet concentrate contains a rich cocktail of growth factors that support growth and proliferation of cells. The primary goal of this study was to investigate the safety of platelet lysate (PL) in patients with critical limb ischaemia (CLI) not suitable for standard revascularization. Data on the preliminary efficacy are also presented.

Upper Limb Ischemia Due to Arterial Thrombosis after COVID-19 Vaccination.

This report describes a case of a 60-year-old male patient who received the first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine and presented to the emergency department complaining of left hand pain and paresthesia. Investigations revealed upper limb ischemia; he was hospitalized for further management.

Thymolipoma and its Association with Myasthenia Gravis: a Multi-center Experience.

Background: Thymolipoma is a rare benign thymic tumor that arises in the anterior mediastinum. It presents with non-specific symptoms such as chest pain and dyspnea due to compression of the tumor on surrounding structures. In addition, this tumor is associated with paraneoplastic syndromes, including myasthenia gravis.

Association Between CYP3A4 and CYP3A5 Genotypes and Cyclosporine's Blood Levels and Doses among Jordanian Kidney Transplanted Patients.

Background: Cyclosporine is used as an immunosuppressive agent in kidney transplantation. It has a narrow therapeutic window. Cyclosporine is predominantly metabolized by CYP3A4 and CYP3A5.

Cardiac myxoma: clinical characteristics, surgical intervention, intra-operative challenges and outcome.

Objective: The objectives of this retrospective study were to characterize the clinical presentation, diagnostic findings, surgical approaches, intra-operative challenges and complications following the surgical treatment of cardiac myxoma in two of the largest referral hospitals in Jordan.

Methods: Medical records of all patients presented to the cardiology department during the period between 1984 and 2016 were reviewed. Criteria for inclusion in the study were: (1) patients who were presented for cardiac evaluation due to symptoms suggestive of a primary cardiac problem, (2) completed medical records, including results of echocardiography suggestive of intra-cardiac occupying mass, (3) the surgical operation was undertaken and intra-operative data was available, (4) a histological diagnosis of myxoma was available and (5) the discharge status and follow-up data were available for at least 2 years after initial surgery.

Saphenous vein patch for correction of anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from the left main coronary artery.

Anomalous origin of the coronary arteries is a rare congenital heart defect that may lead to disturbed life style, myocardial infarction and sudden death. This report describes a young lady with the right coronary artery arising from the left main coronary artery, which was confirmed by coronary angiography and corrected surgically using saphenous vein patch.

Outcome of upper limb vascular access for hemodialysis.

The aim of this study was to investigate the outcome of vascular access procedures for hemodialysis and factors affecting access survival and complication rates. A retrospective review was carried out on 276 patients who underwent 404 consecutive vascular access operations performed over seven-years. The overall primary failure rate was 9.

Chronic total occlusion of left main coronary artery in a young man.

Chronic total occlusion of the left main coronary artery is rarely encountered in coronary angiography. Patients are at high risk of death because of its intimate association with massive anterior myocardial infarction. A 29-year-old man with no cardiac risk factors, presented with myocardial infarction and severe mitral regurgitation.

Giant Spontaneous Femoral Artery Pseudoaneurysm Treated with Covered Stents: Report of a rare presentation and review of literature.

We report the case of a 62-year-old woman who presented with a one-month history of a pulsatile mass, with no antecedent trauma or intervention. Imaging showed a large pseudoaneurysm (PSA) of the distal portion of the left superficial femoral artery. The PSA was treated successfully with endovascular placement of covered stents.

Spontaneous femoral artery pseudoaneurysm in a young patient.

Spontaneous femoral artery pseudoaneurysm is a rare disease and reported cases are very rare. Most of them are related to an underlying pathology of either atherosclerotic disease or connective tissue disease. We present a healthy, 29-year-old man with 2-month history of a painful pulsating mass at the level of the lower right thigh with no previous history of trauma, surgery, or puncture of the femoral artery.

Anomalous inferior vena cava drainage to the left atrium with successful staged repair in a 32-year-old woman with arthritis.

This report describes a case involving anomalous drainage of inferior vena cava (IVC) to the left atrium diagnosed when the patient was 32 years old. The tricuspid valve and the right ventricle were small. Successful surgical repair was performed, with significant improvement of the patient's clinical status.

The effect of low serum bicarbonate values on the onset of action of local anesthesia with vertical infraclavicular brachial plexus block in patients with end-stage renal failure.

Vertical infraclavicular brachial plexus block is utilized in patients with chronic renal failure at the time of creation of an arterio-venous fistula (AVF). The aim of this study is to test the effect of impaired renal function, with the resulting deranged serum electrolytes and blood gases, on the success rate and the onset of action of the local anesthetics used. In this prospective clinical study, we investigated the effect of the serum levels of sodium, potassium, urea, creatinine, pH, and bicarbonate on the onset of action of a mixture of lidocaine and bupivacaine administered to create infraclavicular brachial plexus block.

Lipoblastoma: a rare mediastinal tumor.

Lipoblastoma is a rare benign mesenchymal tumor of embryonal fat that occurs almost exclusively in infants and children less than age 3. It is a benign tumor with a high recurrence rate. We present a case of mediastinal lipoblastoma in a 21-month-old girl who presented with respiratory infection and progressive dyspnea.

Uncommon incidental pseudoaneurysm. Diagnostic and management challenges.

Objective: To analyze patients with uncommon incidental pseudoaneurysms, secondary to non-catheterization causes, and to discuss the peculiar clinical spectrum, and focus on some aspects of difference from post-catheterization pseudoaneurysms.

Methods: Eleven patients, 8 males and 3 females, were studied retrospectively in Jordan University Hospital, Amman, Jordan, between 2002-2008. Radiological studies performed included duplex sonography (DS), computed tomography (CT), conventional angiography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA).

Incidental invasive thymoma during coronary artery bypass surgery.

We encountered 2 incidental cases of invasive thymomas at Jordan University Hospital, Amman, Jordan; during routine coronary artery bypass graft surgery between 2005 and 2008 with an incidence of 0.6%. Both patients presented with angina pain.

Hereditary multiple exostoses with pseudoaneurysm.

A 16-year-old male patient with hereditary multiple exostoses (HME) was found to have a pseudoaneurysm of the left popliteal artery caused by osteochondroma in the lower femur. The diagnosis was confirmed by ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance angiography without the need to perform an angiogram. The osteochondroma was excised and the popliteal artery was repaired with a saphenous graft.