Mitral valve replacement associated with massive left atrial calcification.

Massive calcification of the atrial walls is a rare condition that entails important implications for mitral valve operations. Endoatriectomy is the procedure of choice in this situation. A technique of total replacement of the left atrium and mitral valve by means of a valved, T-shaped graft is presented as a possible alternative when a more conventional approach is not feasible.

The coronary subclavian steal syndrome: an uncommon sequel to internal mammary-coronary artery bypass surgery.

Coronary subclavian steal syndrome is a possible sequel in patients who have undergone myocardial revascularization with an internal mammary artery. We report a case of this syndrome in a 67-years-old man. In 1990 he underwent a quadruple bypass: aorta-obtuse margin, aorta-right coronary (two sequential), internal artery mammary-descending coronary artery.

A nonsurgical technique for removal of a Swan-Ganz catheter entrapped in the right atrium.

Although rare in occurrence, entrapment of Swan-Ganz catheter during open heart surgery can be a serious complication. Several methods have been used to free such catheters with nonsurgical techniques. A case of entrapment in the right atrium is presented and a method for nonsurgical removal is described.

Two-dimensional echocardiographic evaluation of mitral valve calcification. Sensitivity and specificity.

The effectiveness of two-dimensional echocardiography in assessing mitral valve calcification was compared to radiography of the surgically excised valves in 43 patients affected by rheumatic disease of the mitral valve. Mitral valve calcification was graded as absent or present if single thin or multiple dense conglomerate echoes defined the valvular orifice in short axis view, provided the sensitivity of the instrumentation was adequately optimized. The radiograph of the excised valve was similarly graded.