Institution of a formal multidisciplinary heart team for high-risk coronary revascularization.

Introduction: The heart team approach is now the standard of care for patients with complex coronary artery disease; however, the definition of a heart team is variable. We embarked on a project to create an extended, multidisciplinary heart team to evaluate patients we deemed high risk for coronary revascularization. In doing so, we created a new service, workflow, and paradigm.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for large pulmonary emboli.

Massive and submassive pulmonary emboli (PE) are increasingly being treated with percutaneous lytic and embolectomy procedures. While these procedures are overwhelmingly safe, patients with significant right ventricular strain are at risk for hemodynamic compromise requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). We conducted a retrospective study of all patients requiring ECMO support for PE from 2014 through 2022.

Hybrid intervention approach to coronary artery and valvular heart disease.

Coronary angiography is used to assess the burden of coronary artery disease prior to surgical valve repair/replacement and often leads to concomitant bypass and valve surgery. We sought to evaluate outcomes of an alternative, hybrid approach involving percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and valve surgery, assessing the rate of stent thrombosis as a primary outcome. We reviewed charts of consecutive patients who underwent planned PCI prior to surgical valve repair/replacement by a single surgeon from January 2008 to December 2016.

Relapsed angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma with large pericardial effusion.

T-cell lymphomas comprise 10% to 15% of all lymphoid malignancies and affect precursor or mature T cells; the latter are referred to as peripheral T-cell lymphomas. We present a case of a subtype, angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, in which a patient previously treated with chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplant relapsed with B symptoms and large pericardial/pleural effusions. Recurrent lymphoma was confirmed on pericardial tissue biopsy.

Autoimmune Hepatitis Refractory to Treatment Due to Underlying Grave's Disease.

A 24-year-old Hispanic woman presented to our facility with a two-week history of abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, jaundice, and scleral icterus. Initial laboratory workup revealed elevated transaminases, direct hyperbilirubinemia, and positive anti-smooth muscle antibody. Liver biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of autoimmune hepatitis and our patient was started on oral prednisone therapy.

Piceatannol suppresses endotoxin-induced ocular inflammation in rats.

Anti-inflammatory effect of piceatannol, a naturally occurring polyphenol and a potent free radical scavenger, on ocular inflammation is not known. We examined the anti-inflammatory role of piceatannol in ocular inflammatory response due to endotoxin-induced uveitis (EIU) in rats. EIU was induced in Lewis rats by subcutaneous injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 150 ug/rat).