Aortic Dissection: An Unexpected Complication of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation.

A 53-year-old female with a medical history of multiple cardiovascular risk factors, alcoholic chronic hepatic disease (Child-Pugh B) with thrombocytopenia, and severe calcified aortic stenosis was admitted for an elective transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). After the procedure, the patient was hypotensive and unresponsive to fluid challenge, and there was a significant difference in blood pressure between the two arms. The echocardiogram confirmed the normal position and function of the prosthetic valve but was suggestive of aortic dissection.

An unexpected and tumultuous diagnosis of a left atrial mass.

This case presents a curious diagnosis in a young male presenting with chest pain. The first imaging tests suggested the presence of a hypovascular left atrial tumor. After cardiac magnetic resonance and the exclusion of extra-cardiac lesions, sarcoma emerged as the main diagnostic hypothesis.

Left bundle branch block cardiomyopathy (LBBB-CMP): from the not-so-benign finding of idiopathic LBBB to LBBB-CMP diagnosis and treatment.

Unlabelled: Introduction Idiopathic left bundle branch block (iLBBB) is an uncommon finding. Its benignity has been increasingly questioned, though its natural history remains poorly clarified. Similarly, LBBB-cardiomyopathy (LBBB-CM) has been also increasingly recognized as a distinct entity, where electromechanical dyssynchrony seems to play a central role in left ventricular dysfunction (LVD) development.

Authors' Response.

Dear Editor, We would like to thank Dr. Madias for his valuable comment on our original article entitled "QT interval prolongation in Takotsubo Syndrome: a frightening feature with no major prognostic impact" published in Monaldi Archives for Chest Disease on December 6, 2023..

Same-day discharge after elective percutaneous closure of patent foramen ovale.

Percutaneous closure of the patent foramen ovale (PFO) is increasingly performed in specific patients with cryptogenic stroke or clinical evidence of a paradoxical embolism. This study was performed to determine the safety of same-day discharge (SDD) following such procedures. This is a prospective, observational study of patients undergoing elective percutaneous PFO closure in a single tertiary center in Portugal between January 2020 and July 2023.

Transcatheter systemic atrioventricular valve-in-valve implantation in a congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries patient.

We present an asymptomatic pregnant patient with congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries and severe atrioventricular bioprosthesis regurgitation - with increased maternal and fetal risk due to volume overload. She was considered high risk for reintervention and was submitted to an off-label post-partum transcatheter valve-in-valve implantation with a Sapiens 3 valve. The procedure was successful, and she remains asymptomatic 30 months after - and even went through another successful pregnancy.

Massive hemoptysis as an unusual complication of right heart catheterization: Successful treatment with percutaneous stent.

The authors present a case report of successful treatment of pulmonary artery perforation by endovascular stent graft implantation.

Cardiac thrombus and conduction disorder in takotsubo cardiomyopathy.

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is a reversible form of left ventricular dysfunction with an apparently benign natural history after left ventricular recovery. Rarely there are complications such as arrhythmias and apical thrombus. We describe a case of takotsubo cardiomyopathy complicated with apical thrombus and persistent complete atrioventricular block after improvement of left ventricular wall motion.

The role of cardiovascular magnetic resonance in the evaluation of chest pain etiology: a case report.

In the evaluation of patients with chest pain it is crucial to differentiate between cardiac and non-cardiac etiology. In turn, acute chest pain of cardiac origin includes many clinical entities. The combination of elevated cardiac serum markers, particularly troponin, with typical clinical presentation and electrocardiographic abnormalities most frequently establishes a diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome.

Spontaneous acquired left descending coronary artery to left ventricle fistula in a patient with an apical saddle thrombus.

Coronary artery fistulas are a rare anomaly. The majority are congenital in origin, although they may be acquired due to invasive cardiac procedures or trauma. The most common course is between the right coronary artery and the right ventricle.

Troponin I as a marker of right ventricular dysfunction and severity of pulmonary embolism.

Background: Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) is a specific marker which allows detection of minor myocardial cell damage. In patients with severe pulmonary embolism (PE), the rise in pulmonary artery pressure can lead to progressive right ventricular dysfunction (RVD), and clinical studies have demonstrated the presence of ischemia and even right ventricular infarction. Our aims were to determine the prevalence and diagnostic utility of cTnI in identifying patients with RVD and to ascertain whether it correlates with severity of PE.