A curious case of an absent left atrial appendage.

The left atrial appendage (LAA) in the setting of non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) is the predominant location for intracardiac thrombus formation. An absent LAA is a very rare congenital cardiac anomaly. We present a case of a 79-year-old female with NVAF, high CHADS2VASC2 score, and high bleeding risk who presented for elective Watchman™ left atrial appendage closure device implant.

Cardiac stem cells in patients with ischaemic cardiomyopathy (SCIPIO): initial results of a randomised phase 1 trial.

Background: c-kit-positive, lineage-negative cardiac stem cells (CSCs) improve post-infarction left ventricular (LV) dysfunction when administered to animals. We undertook a phase 1 trial (Stem Cell Infusion in Patients with Ischemic cardiOmyopathy [SCIPIO]) of autologous CSCs for the treatment of heart failure resulting from ischaemic heart disease.

Methods: In stage A of the SCIPIO trial, patients with post-infarction LV dysfunction (ejection fraction [EF] ≤40%) before coronary artery bypass grafting were consecutively enrolled in the treatment and control groups.

Iatrogenic submedial coronary artery intramural hematoma presenting subacutely.

We report an unusual case of unstable angina resulting from a rare subacute submedial intramural hematoma within the mid-proximal segment of the left anterior descending coronary artery 3 days after successful coronary angioplasty and stenting. An additional stent was deployed to contain the hemorrhage with good angiographic and clinical results.