A tricky case of cardiogenic shock: Diagnostic challenges in the COVID-19 era.

Myocardial wall rupture should be considered in patients presenting with hypotension and STEMI especially of delayed onset. Diagnosing this entity in the COVID-19 era can be challenging-handheld echocardiography may aid toward this end.

Sequestered hypoplastic pulmonary lobe supplied by the circumflex coronary artery in a patient with coronary artery disease: a case report.

Bronchopulmonary sequestrations are usually supplied by single or multiple branches from the descending aorta. We report on a rare form of sequestration of a hypoplastic mid-pulmonary lobe with arterial supply from the circumflex coronary artery coincidentally discovered during coronary angiography in a female patient with coronary artery disease and a history of recurrent hemoptysis. The patient underwent myocardial revascularization and resection of the sequestered lobe in a single-stage approach.

Prevention of aortic anastomotic hemorrhage. A simplified intraoperative testing technique.

Background: Postoperative bleeding in aortic root aneurysms had represented a challenge.

Methods: Intraoperative testing of the annular or subannular aortic anastomosis, during procedures involving replacement of the aortic root, with either synthetic tube graft, a composite graft or an allograft is described. By reversing the flow of the LV vent and delivering cardioplegia into the left ventricle and thereby pressurizing the left ventricle and its outflow, this technique enables the surgeon to simulate the volume loaded heart, prior to completion of the distal anastomosis.

Possible intra-aortic balloon pump "function-related" mechanism of embolic events in patient with protruding atheroma in the thoracic aorta.

A possible new functional mechanism of atheromatous embolus is presented resulting from reversed aortic blood flow during diastolic augmentation by balloon counterpulsation. This mechanism is different from mechanical disruption during insertion. Despite this, intra-aortic balloon remains an important asset in the management of hemodynamically challenged patients.