Extrinsic compression of left main coronary artery due to pulmonary artery aneurysm and pulmonary hypertension.

Idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension is a serious condition that carries a poor prognosis. While exertional dyspnea is the most common symptom, angina like chest pain, most often due to right ventricle ischemia, may occur at advanced stages. We present a patient with pulmonary hypertension symptomatic for dyspnea and angina in whom computed coronary tomography angiography showed compression of the left main coronary artery by a large pulmonary artery aneurysm.

Mitral valve calcium assessment: An independent predictor of balloon valvuloplasty results.

Objective: Percutaneous mitral valvuloplasty (PMV) is an effective treatment for patients with mitral valve stenosis. Echocardiographic score (ES) is a useful predictor of outcomes. However, mitral valve calcification (MVC) has been shown to predict immediate results even in patients with otherwise low ES.

Safety and efficacy of intracoronary sodium nitroprusside for the assessment of coronary fractional flow reserve.

Background: Coronary fractional flow reserve (FFR) determination is a valuable tool for the assessment of stenosis significance in intermediate coronary obstructions. Maximal hyperemia is mandatory for this determination. Although intravenous (IV) Adenosine is the standard agent used, its use carries an elevated incidence of side effects.

Comparison of sodium nitroprusside and adenosine for fractional flow reserve assessment: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Fractional flow reserve (FFR) has become a useful tool in the assessment of physiological significance of coronary artery stenosis (CAS), and Adenosine (ADE) is associated with a high incidence of transient side effects. Sodium nitroprusside (NPS) has been proposed as an alternative vasodilator agent. A meta-analysis of studies comparing ADE and NPS for FFR assessment in the same coronary lesions was performed.

Initial Results and Long-Term Follow-up of Percutaneous Mitral Valvuloplasty in Patients with Pulmonary Hypertension.

Background: Percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty (PMV) is an attractive therapeutic approach in patients with mitral stenosis. The aim of this study was to assess the immediate and long-term clinical, echocardiographic and haemodynamic outcomes of PMV in patients with severe pulmonary hypertension (PAH).

Methods: Percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty was performed in 157 consecutive patients; 60 patients (38.

[Percutaneous exclusion of traumatic abdominal aortic pseudoaneurysm from a brachial approach].

Abdominal aortic pseudoaneurysm (AAP) is a rare lesion, although traumatic aortic injury is described as one of the main causes; both the rupture as the surgical treatment of the defect has high morbidity and mortality. Therefore, endovascular treatment either by chemical embolization or exclusion of defect with devices has emerged as an alternative treatment. However, there are risks such as occlusion of visceral vessels near the neck of the defect, embolization material or aortic rupture.