Diagnostic Usefulness of Histological Examination of the Left Ventricular "Core" Excised to Insert a Left Ventricular Assist Device in Patients With Severe Heart Failure.

The left ventricular assist device (LVAD) has proven to be beneficial for patients with severe heart failure poorly responsive to anti heart failure medicine. To examine both grossly and histologically the portion of left ventricular (LV) free wall excised ("the left ventricular core") to insert a LVAD in 337 patients with severe heart failure from a variety of causes. We collected together all photographs of LV "cores" and the histologic sections prepared from them and reexamined both.

Acute lung injury secondary to e-cigarettes or vaping.

As of October 2019, 1299 cases of "e-cigarette, or vaping, product use associated lung injury" (EVALI) have been reported in the USA, with 26 deaths. Multiple patterns of lung injury have been reported, including lipoid pneumonia, organizing pneumonia, and acute eosinophilic pneumonia, with radiographic findings including diffuse pulmonary infiltrates. We report a case of lipoid pneumonia secondary to EVALI.

Radical cystoprostatectomy to treat urachal carcinoma.

Urachal carcinoma is a highly uncommon malignancy with an estimated prevalence of 0.01% to 0.02% of all adult cancers.

Usefulness of Total 12-Lead QRS Voltage for Diagnosis of Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy in Patients With Heart Failure Severe Enough to Warrant Orthotopic Heart Transplantation and Morphologic Illustration of Its Cardiac Diversity.

Although several electrocardiographic features of arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) (also called dysplasia) have been described, total 12-lead QRS voltage is not one of them. This report describes total 12-lead QRS voltage in 11 patients with ARVC who underwent orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT) because of progressively severe heart failure. Additionally, it illustrates the varied morphologic features of ARVC.

Operative Recognition of Syphilis of the Aorta.

Aortic syphilis has not disappeared. Few patients with aortic syphilis are diagnosed pre-operatively or after histologic examination of the resected aortas. The gross features of the wall of the syphilitic aortic aneurysm, however, are unique allowing diagnosis of this entity on the operating table.

Effects of eplerenone on markers of myocardial fibrosis, 6-minute walk distance, and quality of life in adults with tetralogy of Fallot and complete transposition of the great arteries.

Ventricular dysfunction is common among patients with repaired cyanotic congenital heart disease. To date, no pharmacologic intervention has been demonstrated to be beneficial in this setting. To begin addressing this knowledge gap, we conducted a single-center prospective, randomized, open-label pilot study to investigate the effects of eplerenone on serologic markers of collagen turnover and inflammation, 6-minute walk distance, and quality of life in patients with tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) or transposition of the great arteries with a systemic right ventricle (transposition of the great arteries [TGA]).

Morphologic Findings in Donor (Transplanted) Hearts at Necropsy Early and Late After Orthotopic Heart Transplantation.

Little necropsy information is available on donor hearts in place in recipients for varying periods. Necropsy studies were performed in 79 patients who had survived from 1 day to 17 years after orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT). At OHT, the 79 patients ranged in age from 3 to 70 years (mean 51), and at death, from 20 to 76 years (mean 54).

Coronary arterial aneurysms in previously transplanted (donor) hearts.

Described herein is a 57-year-old man who had had a cardiac transplant 5 years earlier (at age 52) and died of a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm. The donor heart was found to have a fusiform aneurysm, each filled with thrombus, in 2 major epicardial coronary arteries.