Unraveling the structure and composition of Varadero Reef, an improbable and imperiled coral reef in the Colombian Caribbean.

Coral reefs are commonly associated with oligotrophic, well-illuminated waters. In 2013, a healthy coral reef was discovered in one of the least expected places within the Colombian Caribbean: at the entrance of Cartagena Bay, a highly-polluted system that receives industrial and sewage waste, as well as high sediment and freshwater loads from an outlet of the Magdalena River (the longest and most populated river basin in Colombia). Here we provide the first characterization of Varadero Reef's geomorphology and biological diversity.

Chronic Type A Aortic Dissection and Giant Aortic Root Aneurysm After Aortic Valve Replacement.

We describe the case of a 61-year-old male with a giant aortic root aneurysm associated with chronic aortic Type A dissection. The patient had been operated on 16 years before due to aortic annuloectasia with mechanical valve replacement. The patient underwent revision aortic surgery with a Bentall-De Bono operation with Svensson modification, using a #21 On-X Valsalva mechanical valve conduit.